Feelings
by Piper Elizabeth
Summary: Different one-shots all about Burgess and Ruzek. Each one will be centered around a "feeling" that one or both of them may have. These one-shots will not take place in the realm of the TV show, but will include different times in their relationship (dating, engagement, married, etc.). Burzek all the way!
1. Chapter 1 - Jealousy

**Title:** Feelings

 **Rating:** Strong T for some language and normal adult behavior

 **Disclaimer:** Chicago PD and its affiliated characters do not belong to me. I mean no copyright infringement. I only use them as a means to de-stress myself.

 **Summary:** Different one-shots all about Burgess and Ruzek. Each one will be centered around a "feeling" that one or both of them may have. These one-shots will not take place in the realm of the TV show, but will include different times in their relationship (dating, engagement, married, etc.). Burzek all the way!

 **Spoilers:** Nothing specific for the series (I don't think).

 **Chapter 1 - Jealous**

Jealous. That's all Adam could think. He was jealous of every man who was going to see Kim in the dress she was wearing as she walked out of the locker room. Although he had seen her in everything from sweat pants to cocktail dresses before, the dress Kim was wearing put everything she had ever worn previously to shame. It was a black, form-fitted, thigh-length dress that hugged her in all the right places. The dress revealed her incredible cleavage as well as her amazing legs. Her makeup was dark and smoky, her lips a fiery red. She was wearing a pin-straight blond wig that fell to her mid-back. She looked like a bombshell off the cover of a men's magazine. Adam was practically salivating. The only problem was, her look wasn't for him.

"Damn," Adam muttered as Kim walked over to him. "You clean up good."

"Is that all you have to say?" Kim asked with a flirtatious smile.

Adam leaned closer to her to whisper in her ear. "If we were alone right now, you wouldn't be in that dress for long."

Kim blushed. Adam ran his hand down her arm and stopped to hold her hand. He couldn't help but look at the sparkling engagement ring on her finger that he had given to her only a few weeks earlier.

"You're wearing your engagement ring to go undercover?" He asked.

"It fits with our characters. I promise, I won't lose it," she said with a wink.

Adam smiled and kissed her knuckles. He loved seeing the engagement ring on her finger. It reminded him of how much he loved her. They both stepped away from each other as Voight and Olinsky joined them in the hallway.

"You ready, Burgess?" Voight asked.

"Yes, sir," Burgess answered.

"Well, you certainly look the part," Olinsky commented.

Kim didn't know what to say. To say thank you just seemed awkward considering what she was wearing.

"Where's Roman?" Voight asked.

"Right here, sir," Roman said, walking out of the locker room. He was in a sleek, black suit and tie. His hair was gelled back and he was wearing a pair of fake glasses. They made him look important. To Adam, he looked as un-Roman like as Adam had ever seen him.

"Alright, you two know your story?" Voight questioned.

"Yes, sir," Kim and Roman answered at the same time.

"Then let's go."

Voight walked down the hallway first with Olinsky and Roman following behind him. As Kim took a step in her high heels to be next in line, Adam couldn't help but slap her butt.

"Hey!" She shrieked.

"Couldn't help it. You're just so damn sexy."

"Keep your hands to yourself," Kim warned playfully as they made their way down their hallway.

"If you wanted me to keep my hands to myself, you shouldn't have worn that dress."

"Well, maybe if you're a good boy, I'll stop by after work tonight and you can take me out of this dress."

Kim practically bumped into Roman. She had noticed they had all stopped near the front of the building. She blushed for the second time in five minutes when she realized Voight probably heard what she said. If he did, though, Voight didn't say anything. Instead he checked with Platt about something before he led everyone outside. Atwater, Halstead, and Lindsey were already outside, standing in front of two vans that had the name of a carpet cleaning service on it. They all knew, though, that the vans were just a cover. Inside each van was surveillance equipment.

"Everybody ready?" Voight asked.

"Let's get it done, Sarg," Lindsey said.

Lindsey and Halstead climbed into the back of one of the vans. Atwater went around the front and sat in the driver's seat. Olinsky and Voight headed off to the other van.

"Be careful," Adam said to Burgess.

"Always," she said with a smile.

Adam leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the lips before Kim approached the taxi that was waiting for her and Roman. It was being driven by a fellow police officer. It was all part of their cover.

"Take care of her," Adam said before Roman walked away.

"I will."

Roman joined Kim in the taxi. Adam climbed into the driver's side of the second van and watched as the taxi pulled away. He sped up right behind it. There was no way he was going to be that far away from Kim.

The last seventy-two hours had been a whirlwind. Voight had been contacted by a CI that a drug ring was being run out of a well-known high-end club that only the richest people in Chicago got an invitation to attend. The Intelligence unit managed to get themselves an invitation. The only problem was, every member of Intelligence had been in the club investigating throughout the last few days. There was no one left to undercover except for Roman and Burgess. They took the job without question. Kim had a microphone embedded in her bra while Roman had a tiny camera in his fake glasses. They were being monitored carefully by the team in the vans. Even though Adam knew that all Kim and Roman were there to do was get information, he still worried about her safety. He didn't think he'd ever not worry about her.

As the taxi pulled up in the club, Adam parked the van on the street. He watched Kim and Roman step out of the cab. She looked even more stunning than he remembered. He just hoped everyone in the club would keep their hands off of her. After he watched Kim enter the club, Adam climbed into the back of the van, preparing himself to watch what was going on inside.

From the minute Kim and Roman walked into the club, Adam, Olinsky, and Voight were busy watching what they could see from the hidden camera in Roman's glasses. He knew Atwater, Lindsey, and Halstead were listening to Kim's microphone in their van. Adam watched the TV screens in front of him intently. He couldn't help but notice how many times the camera panned away from Kim's face to her boobs. It was obvious Roman couldn't stop checking her out and it did not make Adam happy.

After about twenty minutes in the club, Roman finally made contact with one of the men suspected of selling drugs. Roman was trying to convince the man to sell him drugs, without using those exact words. Unfortunately he was having no luck. The man kept telling Roman he didn't know what he was talking about. Kim finally approached them. Adam could see on the monitor the man's immediate interest in Kim. He couldn't blame him. She was gorgeous.

A few minutes after meeting Kim, the man started changing his mind. She flipped her hair back and flirted with him until she got him to say what they needed. He was going to take them to the special VIP area. Even though Adam knew they couldn't move in until a sale was actually made, he wanted to go in and whisk Kim away from the club. He didn't like how everyone was staring at her and he didn't like the potential danger she was in.

As the man led them through a door into the back of the club, they passed couples in small booths doing every kind of drug imaginable. Adam, Voight, and Olinsky watched the monitors carefully, waiting for the moment to step in. Kim and Roman stopped in front of what appeared to be a bar, but there were no glasses or alcohol bottles whatsoever. Adam watched as the man reached behind the bar and pulled out a gallon-sized bag that held smaller bags of white powder. Roman took out his wallet and handed him a wad of cash. The man pocketed the cash and pushed a small baggie of the white powder towards Kim.

The team knew it was time to act. Voight radioed to the other van and told them to move in on the club. Adam grabbed his gun and was about to exit behind Voight and Olinsky when he looked back at the screen. He saw Roman with his arms around Kim's waist. His lips were only centimeters from hers. Adam couldn't help but watch as their lips touched. But it wasn't just a chaste kiss to keep up appearances as an engaged couple. It was a deep, passionate kiss that lasted way too long.

"Ruzek!" Voight yelled.

Adam felt his blood boiling, jealousy coursing through him. With his gun in his hands, he followed Voight and the others into the club. He was just hoping he wouldn't shoot Roman by mistake.

A few hours later, the man who sold Roman and Kim the drugs was arrested and charged. Kim and Roman gave their statements and everyone had finally been told to go home and get some sleep. Even though they weren't officially living together, Kim went to Adam's place. She had immediately hopped in the shower when she arrived. If she had noticed the silence from Adam, she didn't say anything. After witnessing her kiss with Roman, Adam didn't know what to say. He was afraid if he opened his mouth, he would just end up yelling so he chose not to say anything at all.

Kim emerged from the shower, her hair wrapped up in a towel on top of her head. She was wearing a pair of pajama shorts and one of Adam's T-shirts. Unlike earlier, she was as un-bombshell like as possible, but she still looked beautiful. Adam was sitting on the couch flipping through stations. He hadn't found anything worth watching mostly because he was still seething about the kiss. He was sipping on a beer.

"I can't believe how well that went," Kim said, joining him on the couch. "I didn't expect that guy to just sell us drugs immediately, you know."

"Yeah, well maybe that's because you were flirting with him," Adam snipped.

Kim chose to ignore his comment. She knew one of the reasons Voight wanted her to be the one to go undercover wasn't just because she was a good cop. Being a good-looking female cop had its advantages in situations like that.

"Roman said…" Kim continued.

Adam scoffed. "I don't really care about what Roman says."

Confused at his outburst, Kim decided to tread lightly. She knew he couldn't really be that angry that she had flirted with the drug dealer. That was part of the job, after all.

"Is something wrong?" She asked.

Adam turned to look at her for the first time in the eye. He couldn't believe that she didn't recognize why he was so angry.

"Yeah. I'm a little pissed off."

"Why? Everything went great."

"Oh, you think so? I wouldn't say that watching my fiancé practically making out with her partner was great," he said through gritted teeth.

"What?"

"You heard me."

"I didn't make out with him!" Kim exclaimed.

"Could have fooled me."

"Adam…"

"Were you even going to tell me? If I hadn't seen it on the monitors, would you have told me?"

"There wasn't anything to tell," Kim insisted.

"He had his tongue down your throat!"

"We were undercover."

"So you don't deny it," Adam responded.

"Of course I don't deny it. We…"

"So, he did have his tongue down your throat then."

"We were trying to keep up appearances," she persisted.

"And there was absolutely no reason for him to kiss you."

"He was buying us time before you guys could get in there. Otherwise the guy would have expected us to walk off and do our drugs and he would have left. We needed him to stay put."

"Yeah…right," Adam mumbled.

"We were doing a job, Adam. You can't tell me you haven't done things undercover you wouldn't normally do."

"That is not the same! I've never made out with a colleague."

"That's not what that was and you know it!"

"Oh please!" He scoffed.

"Roman and I are partners. Nothing more."

"Does he know that? He has a history of falling in love with his partners. Maybe you're next on his list."

"That's not fair and you know it," she said.

"I watched him kiss you, Kim, and I watched you kiss him back!"

"We were undercover!" She shouted.

She stood up, not wanting to hear anymore. Kim stormed off into the bathroom and ripped the towel from her hair. She threw it on the floor and put her hair into a sloppy ponytail, not even taking the time to brush it. She pulled on a pair of Jeans over her shorts and a sweatshirt. Grabbing her purse, Kim stomped through the living room towards the door.

"Kim…"

"Don't!" She exclaimed. She left, slamming the door behind her.

Adam stood, staring at the door for a good thirty seconds. He knew he was being unfair and that Kim hadn't actually done anything wrong, but he couldn't help the feeling of jealousy. He hated the idea of her kissing someone else even if it was for her job. Just thinking about it made his blood boil. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He tried to put himself in Kim's shoes. If he were undercover, would he have done the same thing?

Knowing that he would hate himself if he left her leave the way things were, Adam raced across the room and out the door. He caught sight of her on the stairwell.

"Kim!"

She whipped around. Adam could see fresh tear stains on her cheeks, her eyes full of water. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. Adam hated that he had made her cry.

"Come to yell at me some more?" She asked.

"No. I'm sorry. Come back upstairs so we can talk. Please."

Kim shook her head. "I think you said everything you needed to say."

"Please. I'm sorry. It's just…seeing you with him, it made me so…so…"

"Jealous?" Kim filled in.

"Yes, it made me jealous." For some reason, it felt good to say the words out loud. Adam took her hand. She didn't resist. "I'm sorry. I don't want to be that guy, I don't want to be the jealous boyfriend, but I hated seeing you with him. Maybe if Roman didn't have the history he has with his partners…"

"Do you trust me?" She interrupted.

"Of course I trust you."

"Then trust me. Know that I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize what we have. Roman is like a brother to me, Adam and nothing more. You know that."

"I know. I'm sorry. Come back upstairs. Please."

"This can't happen again. If Roman and I have to do more undercover work and we end up…kissing or…or whatever. You can't freak out, Adam. You can't be angry with me for doing my job."

"You're right," he agreed and he meant it. "I can't promise that I won't be jealous again, but I do promise to handle it better."

Adam pulled her into a hug. He could feel the jealousy and anger seeping out of him.

"For the record, if I saw you kissing someone else, even undercover, I think I'd be pretty jealous, too," Kim said.

"Does that mean you'll come back upstairs? You know I hate sleeping without you."

Kim nodded. "Ok."

Hand in hand, they walked back up to Adam's apartment. As they walked inside and closed the door, Kim spun around and planted a kiss on his lips. It didn't take long for Adam to melt into her.

"I love you," she said.

"And I love you."

"And for what it's worth, Roman isn't a very good kiss."

"I'm very glad to hear it."

Smiling, Adam leaned in and kissed her once more and he made sure it was a damn good kiss.

Author's Note: I started this story because I'm afraid of what will happen to Burgess and Ruzek in the future. I don't want to include any spoilers, but I will say that I started posting this story today for a reason. After reading a few things online over the past few weeks, I felt the need to just sit down and write about my favorite couple in my own way. I really hope you enjoy this story. I am definitely looking for ideas for different emotions I could write about so if you have something you really want to read, let me know in the comments and I'll do my best! Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2 - Excitement

**Chapter 2 – Excitement**

Excitement was the last thing on Kim's mind when she looked down at the plastic, white stick in her hand. She stared at it as if she were expecting the positive sign to change to a negative one. No matter how hard she stared, though, the outcome remained the same. She was pregnant.

Kim had suspected she was pregnant for well over two weeks. Of course her suspicions started with her missed period, but it wasn't unusual for her cycle to be a little off. It was the way she was feeling that was the big clue. Almost every morning she woke up queasy. The worst offender was the body wash Adam used in the shower. The smell had been nauseating her for days, even though it was usually a smell she loved. She had even picked out the scent for him for Christmas.

Sighing, Kim put the stick down on the counter next to the sink. She couldn't stop staring at it. Every emotion she could think of ran through her head - fear, happiness, trepidation. She didn't know what or how to feel. The only thing she did know was she had to Adam. She couldn't keep the news to herself.

Walking into their bedroom, Kim picked up one of Adam's dirty socks off the floor. She stood in the doorway, staring at it, getting a mental image of how much more work it would be to keep up with a baby and Adam. Neatness was not in his vocabulary. Kim had learned to deal with it over their five years together, three of those years as husband and wife. At first she nagged him about it, but then decided it wasn't worth it. Picking up dirty clothes here and there was a fair trade for Adam doing almost all of the cooking.

Kim quickly finished dressing. She looked at the time. Adam had gone in early because Intelligence was working on a big case. Kim hadn't even woken up before he left. As she put her hair up in a ponytail, she knew if she didn't leave soon, she was going to be late. She grabbed her bag by the door, put her jacket on, and walked out of the apartment. It took her only five minutes to get to the precinct. That was one of the reasons they had stayed in the apartment they got when they first got married. Even though it wasn't the nicest of places, it was convenient. She started to think that with a baby on the way, they were going to need a bigger place.

After parking her car, Kim raced up the steps into the building. She managed to bypass Platt, for which she was grateful, and she ducked into the locker room. Somehow she knew Platt would know she was pregnant. Platt had this uncanny ability to know everything.

In the locker room, Kim quickly opened her locker and put on her uniform. She took a deep breath as she pulled on her bullet proof vest. She knew she was going to have to get pulled from patrol. The rule was pregnant police officers were not allowed out on the streets. It was just too dangerous. Although she didn't want to put her unborn child in jeopardy, Kim wasn't quite ready to give up the job. Besides, she didn't want Platt or anyone else to find out she was pregnant before Adam did. Kim told herself that she would keep the news to herself until she had the chance to tell Adam, but that she would just be careful out on the streets.

She started wonder how Adam would respond to the news. They had talked about having children only briefly. They both knew that one day they wanted to start a family, but they were both busy focusing on their careers. Kim only hoped he would have a better reaction than she did when she first saw the positive pregnancy test.

Trying to put the news in the back of her mind, Kim finished getting ready. After taking a deep breath, she walked out of the locker room. She was about to head to Platt's desk to meet up with Roman and get their car for the day when she ran right into someone. Someone very solid and familiar whose smell made her want to hurl.

"Hey," Adam said.

"Hey."

Kim took a step back. The smell was overwhelming.

"You ok?" Adam asked.

"Yeah. Just...surprised to you."

Adam looked at her quizzically. It wasn't uncommon for them to run into each other at work.

"Sorry I had to leave so early this morning. I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No."

"Good. You know, I missed my morning kiss."

Adam proceeded to try to kiss her, but she sidestepped him. She was afraid if he got to close, she would throw up on his shoes. The smell was really getting to her.

"I'm already late," she said, hoping he'd buy her excuse.

"Ok…" Adam said, confused.

"Maybe we can meet up for lunch?" She suggested. "I have something I want to tell you."

"What is it?"

"I don't want to talk about it here."

"Ok. Lunch it is. I'll text you later."

Adam made another attempt to pull her close, presumably to get his morning kiss, but Kim continued on her way before he got the chance. He watched her walk away, desperately wondering what it is she had to tell him. Based on her behavior, he was beginning to worry. He felt like she was pushing him away and that wasn't good.

A few hours later, Roman and Kim were driving around, patrolling a neighborhood known for drug and gun violence. They had managed to stay away from any serious danger all morning, for which Kim was grateful. She was hopeful that trend would continue for the rest of the day.

"You ok?" Roman asked, glancing at her from the driver's seat.

"Fine. Why do you ask?"

"You're just...quiet today."

"I guess I just don't have much to say."

"And you haven't had any coffee," he pointed out.

"I had a cup at home."

Kim was hoping he wouldn't have noticed the fact that she had skipped their usual coffee run. She knew that too much caffeine wasn't good for the baby. Of course, with Roman being a cop, he didn't miss much.

"You also didn't argue with me over who got to drive today."

"I just don't feel like driving, that's all."

"Something's going on," Roman stated.

"There is nothing…"

Kim was interrupted by the buzzing of her cell phone. She pulled it from its holster at her waistband and looked at the caller ID.

"Who is it?" Roman asked.

"Voight." Kim put the phone to her ear. "This is Officer Burgess."

"I need you and Roman to come in. I've got a job for you," Voight told her.

"Yes sir," Kim replied. "We'll be right there."

Kim hung up the phone.

"Voight wants us?" Roman asked after hearing only one side of the conversation.

"Yeah."

"How come he always calls you and not me?"

"Just drive, Roman."

They drove back to the precinct in silence. When they arrived, they quickly made their way up the steps to Intelligence. Everyone was busy at their desks. Adam greeted Kim at the top of the steps.

"Hey," he said. "I don't think we're going to be able to grab lunch today. What did you want to tell me?"

"It can wait," she said. She was glad that the smell from his body wash had faded during the day, but Kim could still smell it. She tried not to breathe through her nose.

"Ok, everyone, gather around," Voight said, coming out of his office. He went to stand in front of the whiteboard at the front of the room. The entire team, including Roman and Kim, immediately gave him their attention. Kim actually went across the room and stood next to Lindsey's desk to get away from the smell of his body wash. Adam was surprised she didn't stay at his desk like she normally did. Something was definitely wrong.

"We got a tip that an arms deal is going down tonight," Voight said.

"Where?" Halstead asked.

"South side of the city," Voight answered. "Some abandoned warehouse. We're talking hundreds of unregistered weapons that we don't want in our city."

"What's the plan, Sarg?" Atwater questioned.

"We're going in tonight. We're looking for the three men in charge, Smith, Campos, and Read." Voight pointed to three photographs on the whiteboard behind him as he spoke. "Odds are they've got dozens of guys working for them, but they're the three we're after. We've got six hours to get ready. I want you to know everything about these men and their associates. All of them have been known to use force against police. They're considered armed and very dangerous. We've got to be careful."

As soon as Kim heard the words 'armed and dangerous,' she knew she couldn't be a part of the team. She couldn't put her unborn child at risk. She had to talk to Adam before the raid at the warehouse.

"Ruzek and I will go scope out the place," Olinsky volunteered. "Do a little recon."

"Sounds good," Voight agreed. "Lindsey and Halstead, I want you to dig up anything we've got on these guys. Mouse and Atwater, start setting up surveillance on the building. I want to know if anyone goes into that building. Burgess, Roman, I want you two to…"

"I can't," Kim blurted out. He immediately regretted what she said. Everyone in the room turned to stare at her.

"Excuse me?"

"I…" Kim didn't know what to say. She wasn't sure how to explain herself. Nobody said no to Sergeant Voight. "Can I talk to you in your office please?"

Voight nodded. "You all know what to do," he said.

He motioned for Kim to join him in his office. Before she walked in, she looked back. Adam was staring at her, clearly confused. She felt guilty that he was feeling so out of the loop. She wished they could just have a minute alone to talk, but that wasn't going to happen any time soon. Kim walked into Voight's office. He closed the door as he entered behind her.

"Sir, I'm sorry," she began.

"What's going on, Burgess?" Voight asked, sitting behind his desk.

"I...I...can't tell you."

Voight looked at her in only the way Voight could. It was a look of disappointment and anger.

"Do I need to remind you, Officer Burgess, that I am a sergeant and…"

"No, sir. I'm not trying to be disrespectful or to defy order it's just...it's not...safe for me to go out in the field."

"And why is that?"

Before Kim could answer him, the door flung open. Adam burst inside.

"Look, I don't know what is going on," Adam began. "And I know that while we're here at work, we're not really supposed to act like a married couple, but I just want to say that I'm sure Kim has a really good explanation as to why she can't go with the team today and…"

"And I've been waiting for that explanation," Voight interrupted. "Burgess?"

Kim looked from Voight to Adam. She could see desperation on Adam's face. She knew he was trying to act in her best interest and she could tell that he was nervous about what Voight was going to do or say. She knew she could get in trouble for talking back to a sergeant.

"Kim, what is going on?" Adam asked, prompting her to speak.

"I…I can't go with you because I'm following rule twenty-two."

"Rule twenty-two?" Adam asked. "What the hell is that?"

"Rule twenty-two in the codebook. The one we're all given on the first day at the academy," Kim explained.

"Yeah, I remember, but I don't know what rule twenty-two is."

"Maybe because it didn't apply to you," Voight said.

Kim looked at Voight. He had a smile on his face. She knew he knew.

"Would somebody please tell me what rule twenty-two is?" Adam begged.

"Rule twenty-two states that any female police officer who is pregnant will not be allowed in the field, but will be given a job within the current department she works in," Kim explained.

"Ok, but you're…" Adam cut himself off when he realized what she was saying. "Wait…you're pregnant?"

"Yeah," she whispered.

"We're going to have a baby?" He asked, his mind whirling. She nodded. "Oh my God."

Adam wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. He twirled her around, literally sweeping her off her feet.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"For what?" He replied, putting her safely back on her own two feet. He kept his hands on her hips.

"For surprising you like this. You shouldn't have found out this way. I only found out this morning. I was waiting for the right moment. I know this wasn't it, but I…I knew I could go out there with you on that raid. I couldn't put our baby in danger." She paused. "Are…are you happy?"

"Happy? I'm ecstatic! I'm excited! I'm thrilled!"

"You are?"

"I've never been happier!"

"I'm glad."

"Are you happy?"

She took a moment to think about it. When she had seen the pregnancy test that morning, she didn't know how to feel. But seeing Adam's reaction, happiness and excitement consumed her.

"Yeah, I am," she said. "Very happy."

"I'm going to be a dad!" Adam exclaimed. "And you…you are going to be an amazing mom."

Adam kissed her hard, forgetting that Voight was standing right in front of them. He didn't care that he had an audience. He just wanted to share the moment with his wife.

"Congratulations," Voight said after giving them a few seconds to enjoy each other.

"Thank you, sir," Adam replied.

Voight moved to the front of his desk. He gave Kim a hug and shook hands with Adam.

"Obviously we haven't really had a chance to talk about this, but I think we'd both appreciate it if we could keep this…a secret for now," Kim said. "I don't think we're ready to start telling everybody just yet."

"Of course" Voight replied. "As matter of fact, why don't you two both take the night off?"

"What about the case?" Adam asked.

"We've got it covered. There's nothing better than being a parent. I still remember when my wife gave me the news that we were expecting our son. It was one of the best nights of my life. You two enjoy each other. Your lives are about to change in a big way."

"Thank you, sir," Kim said.

"Thanks, Sarg," Adam added.

He took Kim's hand and they walked together out of Voight's office. Adam couldn't get the goofy grin off his face.

"Everything ok?" Olinsky asked.

"Everything's great," Adam replied. "But…ah…we're off the case."  
"Why?" Atwater wondered, stepping up to the conversation.

"Because…" Kim began.

"Because they're both not up to date on their gun qualifications," Voight explained, stepping out of his office.

"Yeah, we forgot to take the test," Adam lied.

"We dotta do this by the book," Voight said. "Now everybody get to work."

Adam looked back at Voight and silently thanked him. Then he looked over at Kim. She smiled at him. He squeezed her hand. Without another word, they walked out of the room together, ready to begin a new chapter of their life together.

Author's Note: After last week's episode, I had to sit down and write a happy Burgess moment! I hope this makes everyone else a little happier today. Also, today is an exciting day for me because the TV show that prompted my love of fanfiction (The X-Files) begins a new season tonight. The first fanfiction I ever wrote was about the X-Files and without it, I don't think I ever would have started writing. Now, 51 stories and about 15 years later, I can happily say I'm still writing and enjoy it more than ever! Thank you for allowing me to indulge in that little trip down memory lane. There will be more Burzek chapters soon!


	3. Chapter 3 - Fear

**Chapter 3 - Fear**

Fear was a rare emotion for Officer Kim Burgess. In her line of work, if you walked around afraid, you wouldn't last ten minutes. But as she stood staring at a dark, dead-end alley, Kim felt the unfamiliar feeling of fear. The hair on her arms was standing up straight and her brain kept screaming 'no!' Kim tried to shake the feeling. She had been in creepier places, she reminded herself, and she was going to be just fine. As Roman walked up beside her, she looked over at him.

"You sure this is the place?" She asked, her hand already on the butt of her gun at her hip.

"This is where the call came in from," he answered.

"Think we should call for backup?"

"What for? I'm sure it's nothing."

Kim shrugged, not wanting to admit that the place gave her the creeps. They were several streets off a main road in Chicago. It was a part of the city where the windows were boarded up and nobody came out after the streetlights came on. The area was known for drug and gang activity. Kim and Roman had gotten the assignment to check out possible gun shots coming from what was supposedly an abandoned building. Staring at the building at the end of the dead end, where the gunshots were reported, Kim took a deep breath. She had a job to do and she was going to do it well even if she was afraid.

"Ready?" Kim asked, sliding her gun from its holster.

"Ready."

Roman took out a flashlight. It was near midnight and the streets were pitch dark. They walked together slowly down the alley. Kim nearly jumped out of her skin when something darted out to their left. They both swung their weapons in that direction, but saw it was just a cat racing by. Kim tried to slow down her breathing. She was really wishing they had called for backup. At least with more officers, they'd have all angles covered.

They continued their approach quickly. Roman made it to the door first. He looked up at Kim without making a sound. As they often did, they were communicating silently. Kim knew exactly what he wanted. She positioned herself at the door while Roman got ready to open it. He counted to three on his fingers and swung the door open. Kim jumped inside, her gun in front of her. She took only two steps before she heard gun shots. Then everything went black.

Adam was walking up the stairs towards the Intelligence office when he heard Kim's name. He turned and saw that Platt was standing behind her desk, on the phone. She said the name 'Burgess' again and it sounded desperate. Adam stopped dead in his tracks. Whatever was going on and whoever Platt was talking to, it didn't sound good. Adam ran back over to the desk.

"What's going on, Sarg?" He asked.

Still on the phone, Platt ignored him.

"Yes," Platt said into the phone. "We've got it covered. We'll have a team there in three minutes."

"Is Kim alright?" Adam questioned urgently.

"Thank you," Platt said, finally hanging up the phone. She stared at Adam with daggers.

"I don't like to be interrupted," she reminded him sternly.

"Did something happen to Kim?" He demanded to know, ignoring her reprimand.

He didn't care that she didn't like to be interrupted. He had to know what happened. Platt picked up the phone again. Tired of being annoyed, Adam decided to try being loud. "Sarg!"

"Burgess and Roman were involved in an altercation," Platt finally said.

"What kind of altercation?"

"That's all I know."

"Sarg…"

Someone obviously answered the phone because Platt began ignoring Adam again.

"Hank, it's Trudy. We got a problem."

Adam didn't bother to listen as Platt told Voight that Burgess and Roman were involved in some kind of problem. He needed more information and she didn't have it. Just as he was about to go bounding upstairs to Intelligence to convince Voight to let him go see what was going on, Voight came down the steps with Dawson, Atwater, Halstead, Olinsky, and Lindsey behind him.

"Let's go," Voight ordered.

They all made their way out of the building. Adam jumped in a car with Voight and Olinsky. Voight explained to him that all he knew was that Roman and Kim were called to an abandoned house for suspected gunshots and that one of them had called 911. Nobody knew anything other than that. Adam felt like he couldn't breathe. Just the thought that Kim could be hurt or in trouble was killing him.

Before the car even came to a complete stop outside of the abandoned alley, Adam jumped out. There was an ambulance on the street as well as several other police cars. They all had their guns drawn, pointing at the building.

"What's going on?" Adam asked.

"Hostage situation," a cop answered.

"What?"

"Some crazy guy has a cop in there."

Adam was about to race forward towards the building when Voight pulled him back.

"You're going to get yourself killed," Voight warned him.

"Kim's in there!" Adam shouted.

"If you go running in there, you might get her killed. Let's get a handle on the situation before you do something stupid."

Adam watched as Voight assessed what was going on. Roman was sitting on the bumper of the ambulance, being treated for some wounds. Adam raced over to him.

"What happened?" He asked. "Where's Kim?"

"She's in there with him," Roman answered.

"With who? What the hell happened?"

Roman shook his head. "I don't know. It all happened so fast."

"Tell me what happened!" Adam shouted.

"We were responding to a call about shots being fired. I opened the door and she went in. We did it by the book."

"I don't care about the damn book!" Adam exclaimed. "What happened?"

"As soon as the door opened, there was this loud bang like gunshots. The door frame got all busted, shrapnel flew at me. By the time I got up, he was screaming and telling me to get back and he took her."

"Is she shot? Did he shoot her?" Adam begged to know.

"I don't…I don't think so."

"What the hell does he want?"

"I don't know."

Adam wanted to strangle Roman, but refrained. He knew it would do no good. Adam spotted Voight talking to Halstead and Olinsky across the street and rushed over to them.

"What are we doing to get her out of there?" Adam asked.

"We've been unable to make contact with the man," Voight explained. "He won't negotiate with us."

"We don't even know who this guy is," Olinsky added.

"What about Kim?" Adam asked.

"We don't know about her condition yet," Voight told him.

"Mouse was able to look at the plans for the building," Halstead said, grabbing one of the long guns out of the back of his car. "I think I can get in through the back. If I can get a shot, I'll take it."

Adam nodded, feeling like he wasn't doing enough. He wanted to be the guy pulling the trigger, but he knew that Halstead was the best shot. If anyone could do it, he could.

"Dawson and Atwater are trying to get eyes on the guy," Voight said, pointing to the two surrounding buildings. Adam knew they would get to the roof of each of the buildings and see what they could see.

"What can I do?" Adam asked.

"Sit tight," Voight commanded. "We'll get her back."

"Sarg, I can…"

"You're too close to this. We both know that. See what else you can find out from Roman."

"He doesn't remember anything."

As they spoke, Adam watched Halstead make his way around the building. Adam wished he knew what was going on inside the building. It was as if everything was too silent. Even though there were cops and cars everywhere with lights flashing, the house was still too dark. There was no way of knowing if Kim was alive or even if the man was still in there. He could have fled as soon as Kim and Roman approached, leaving Kim dead. Adam tried not to think about that scenario.

Just as he was about to suggest that he try to contact the man inside, a shot rang out. Adam didn't think. He just ran towards the building. Voight shouted after him, but Adam ignored him. He burst through the front door, his gun out in front of him leading the way. He began frantically looking around. Kim was on her knees, staring at a body of a man beside her, blood oozing from a bullet wound in his head. There was another dead body across the room, but it looked like he had been dead a little longer than the man next to Kim. Her hands were tied behind her, her ankles bound, her mouth taped shut with duct tape. Adam immediately dropped to the ground in front of her. He saw a deep gash on her forehead, blood running down her face. Her bullet proof vest had been discarded. Her clothes look skewed, which scared Adam to death. He took the tape off her mouth and she breathed a deep breath. A tear fell down her cheek.

"Hey, hey, it's ok," he said, trying to soothe her. He was so relieved she was alive, he could have burst out singing. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm ok," she said, the words catching in her throat.

Adam took a pocket knife from his pocket and sliced the duct tape from her ankles. He reached behind her to get her hands when she cried out.

"You are hurt," he stated.

"My wrist."

He tenderly cut through the duct tape and cradled her left hand as he helped her stand up. She barely took a step before she began to collapse.

"I got you," he said, picking her up bridal style.

Halstead arrived from the back of the house, his gun in his hand. He looked down at the man next to Kim. It was obvious that Halstead had made the shot. There was a bullet hole right through the back of the man's head.

"She ok?" He asked.

"She will be," Adam answered. "Thanks."

Halstead nodded. Adam walked with Kim out of the house. Voight met them right outside.

"How you doing, Burgess?" He asked.

"Fine," she answered, trying to hide her tears. "I'll be fine, sir."

"Paramedics are waiting."

"What about Roman?" Kim asked. "Is he alright?"

"He's fine," Voight answered. "One of the officers already brought him to the hospital to be treated for some scrapes, but he'll be ok."

"Good," Kim whispered.

"Get yourself checked out," Voight said, turning back to the house. It was an active crime scene and they had a lot to do.

Adam nodded and brought her to the waiting ambulance. He sat her down gently on the gurney as the paramedics began looking her over. With the lights around them, Adam realized she looked worse than she had inside. The wound on her head was deep and the bone on her wrist was jutted out at a weird ankle. She had other scrapes around her face. As the paramedics did their assessment, Adam stayed right beside her.

"We're going to take you to the hospital," one of the paramedics said. "You'll need stitches and an x-ray. Looks like your wrist is broken."

"No," Kim stated. "Wait."

"You gotta go to the hospital, babe," Adam told her.

"No. Voight. Where's Voight?"

"What's going on?" Adam asked.

"I need to talk to Voight!" She yelled.

Adam spotted Voight coming out of the house, talking to Halstead. Adam waved him over and Voight joined them.

"Everything alright?" Voight questioned.

"He's part of the Diaz crew," Kim said.

"What?"

"The man in there. His name was Jorge Diaz. The Diaz crew ripped off the Reds last week. A huge drug shipment."

"I heard about that," Voight said.

"Wait, aren't the Reds like the biggest cocaine dealers in Chicago?" Adam asked.

"Yeah. But the CPD has never actually been able to pin anything on them," Voight explained. "They're careful. Too careful."

"He knew the Reds were after him," Kim continued. "The other man in there…he was one of the Reds. Diaz killed him. He thought Roman and I were part of that crew coming after him. That's why he shot at us."

"I don't get it," Adam said. "Once he realized you were a cop, why didn't he just kill you?"

"Because I don't think he really wanted to hurt me," Kim said.

"Then why did he tie you up?" Adam wondered. "Why hurt you when he found out who you really were?"

"I don't know. He was crazed, scared out of his mind for his life. High on drugs maybe. But Sarg, he told me where we can find one of the biggest drug distribution centers the Reds have."

"Where?" Voight asked.

"It's a shack. Off the beaten path. He said something's going down at noon tomorrow. I think it has to do with that bad cocaine that's been killing people all over the city."

"That's good, Burgess. Did he say exactly where?"

She nodded. "He drew me a map."

"Where is it?" Voight questioned.

With her good hand, Kim began pulling off her blue police shirt.

"What are you doing?" Adam asked.

"The map. It's on my back. He drew it with sharpie."

"What?" Adam replied, not sure if he heard her correctly. "This is crazy."

"I know," Kim agreed.

"Alright, walk me through this. What happened from the moment you and Roman arrived?" Voight asked.

"We approached slowly. Roman got the door and I went in first. When I walked into the house, I heard shooting and I thought Roman was a goner. But then I…I passed out. He must have hit me with the butt of the gun. When I came to, I was duct taped and laying on my stomach and he had lifted my shirt up. I thought he was going to…" she didn't need to finish for Adam to know what she thought. "But he didn't. My wrist must have snapped while I was struggling. I didn't realize at first that he was drawing something and then he…he put my clothes back on and he told me who he was and what he knew and then…and then there was a shot and he collapsed."

"We really have to get her to the hospital," one of the paramedics said.

"No!" Kim replied. "We need to stop whatever is going on tomorrow. And I'm the only one who can help."

Voight nodded. "Can you patch up her head and the wrist?"

"No way," Adam said. "She's going to the hospital. Now. We can take a picture of the map for goodness sake."  
"No, Adam," Kim insisted. "I want to be part of this. I was here to start it. I want to finish it."

"You're hurt," he reminded her.

"I'm fine."

"Sarg, you can't let her perform her duties like this," Adam pleaded to Voight.

"If she says she's fine, she's fine," Voight responded.  
"I'll get checked out when this is all over," she assured him.

"No. Kim…" Adam began.

"Can you patch me up?" Kim interrupted, talking to the paramedic.

"I wouldn't recommend it," the paramedic told her. "You need stitches and you should probably get a head CT. You took quite a blow."

"I'll get all the tests later," Kim said. "Please. Look, I'll sign whatever I need to sign for you to let me go. Just put some bandages on my head and I'll be fine."

"Kim, this is not a good idea," Adam said.

"I'm fine," she insisted.

"We'll see you back at Intelligence then," Voight said before walking away. Adam glanced at Kim before following Voight. He knew Voight could stop Kim if he ordered her to go to the hospital.

"You can't let her do this," Adam exclaimed. "She needs medical attention and you know it. We can stop whatever the Reds are going to do tomorrow without her."

"She's the only one who spent any time with our source," Voight explained. "We need her."

"At what cost?" Adam asked. "She's hurt!"

"She's tough. She'll be fine."

Voight walked away, ending the conversation. Adam felt like he was in the middle of the twilight zone. How was it that he was the only one who could see that Kim needed medical attention? Annoyed, he went back to the ambulance, hoping to talk more sense into Kim. The only problem was, she was already geared up to help and nothing he said persuaded her otherwise.

To be continued…

Author's Note: I know I said this story would be full of one-shots, but I couldn't help but continue this chapter. I actually wrote this chapter (and the next one) as a separate story, but after a suggestion from a reviewer (CPDRuzekFan), I decided to change the storyline a little and include it in this series of stories. Thank you for the suggestion! If anyone else has any suggestions for feelings, let me know!


	4. Chapter 4 - Rage

**Chapter 4 - Rage**

Rage was an unfamiliar feeling to Adam Ruzek. He had plenty of encounters with anger, resentment, annoyance, and even fury, but rage was new and scary. Rage was uncontrollable. Rage made him feel violent, as if he were capable of taking down anything or anyone that stood in his way. That's how Adam felt as he stomped across the tiled floor towards Voight.

"She wouldn't be here if it weren't for you!" Adam shouted. "You push too hard! You expect too much! She could die! And that's on you!"

"Ruzek…" Voight began.

"The woman I love is fighting for her life! I could lose her! Don't you get that? She's not just some pawn in your game to save this city! She's a person. She's the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with and now I might not get that chance! I hope you can live with that!"

9 Hours Earlier

Adam stood in front of the locker room door, guarding it with his life. Kim was currently inside, her back being photographed by Lindsey. The goal was to get as many photographs of the map on Kim's back as possible so that they might figure out where the shack was that Jorge Diaz referred to. Voight had suggested that Lindsey take the photographs to make Kim feel more comfortable than having one of the guys do it. Adam had the distinct impression that Kim actually didn't care, but he sure as hell was glad that Voight made that decision. He did not want any of the guys to see Kim naked, even if it was just her back.

An officer walked by Adam, heading for the locker room. Adam put his arm across the door, stopping the man from walking in.

"I need to get my stuff, man," the man said.

"Not right now," Adam snarled. The last thing he was going to do was to let someone else in the locker room where Kim was naked from the waist up.

"Dude…"

"It's ok," Kim said, the locker room door opening. "We're done."

She had changed out of her police uniform and was wearing a grey CPD T-shirt. She had cleaned up as best as possible, scrubbing the blood from her face, but she couldn't wash the pain and tiredness from her eyes. Her head was bandaged. Blood still showed through the gauze. Her wrist was in a makeshift splint from the paramedics.

"I'm going to get this up to Voight," Lindsey said, holding the camera.

"Thanks," Kim said.

Adam let the officer pass by into the locker room, leaving himself and Kim alone in the hallway.

"How are you doing?" He asked quietly. He put his hand on her cheek. He couldn't stop staring at the blood stain on her bandage. He knew head wounds bled a lot, but he also knew that she probably should have stitches.

"I told you, I'm fine," she answered.

"You don't look fine. You look terrible."

"Not the kind of thing a girl wants to hear from her boyfriend," Kim said, a smile on her lips.

"That's not what I meant and you know it," Adam replied, in no mood to be flirtatious. "I still think you should go to the hospital."

"I told you, I'll go when this all over."

"You could be seriously injured," Adam continued. "You could…"

"You've worked when you've been hurt before, Adam," Kim interrupted. "Don't pretend you haven't. This isn't any different."

He sighed. He didn't know how to tell her that it was different for her without making her angry. She would throw some feminist line at him and he knew the conversation wouldn't get very far.

"Ok," he finally relented. Arguing with her wasn't getting him anywhere. "But if you feel tired or dizzy or…"

"I'll let you know. I promise. Now come on, we've got figure out what's happening tomorrow at noon."

"I think you mean today at noon. It's one in the morning."

"Then we have even less time than I thought. Let's go."

Although he still didn't agree with what Kim was doing, Adam followed her up the stairs to Intelligence.

Hours later, everyone in Intelligence was exhausted. They had followed every possible lead to figure out what was going on at noon. They had only five more hours before whatever was about to happen happened. Dawson and Atwater spent most of their time reaching out to their CI's to see if anyone had heard about what was going down. Mouse and Halstead worked on analyzing the photographs of the map on Kim's back and comparing it to GPS photographs of the Chicago area to see if they could figure out where the shack might be, but it was a crude drawing and there was a lot of ground to cover. They couldn't make much sense of it. Voight and Lindsey had been out on the streets, talking to people and trying to get any information they could. Adam and Kim were stuck in the conference room, digging through old cases to find out was suspected of being part of the Reds. If they could get one of them to flip, they would have what they needed. Normally Adam hated the boring work of sitting at the conference table, shuffling through paperwork, but he was grateful that Kim was off her feet. With every hour that passed, she looked more and more pale. He couldn't help but notice how she flinched when she twisted her wrist in the wrong way. He opened his mouth several times to suggest she get looked at, but never actually said the words out loud. He knew she would just insist on staying.

"We can take a break," Adam suggested, closing up one file box and opening another.

"I'm fine," she stated.

An hour earlier, the bandage on her head had already completely soaked through with blood. Adam had to reapply another bandage from a first aid kit they had in the office. She still refused to go to the hospital.

Adam heard Voight and Lindsey returning from their hours on the streets. It sounded like they hadn't had any luck. Adam was beginning to think they were looking for a needle in a haystack. As he tried to think of another tactic to get Kim to agree to go to the hospital, he heard her gasp.

"Are you ok?" Adam questioned, suddenly more concerned for her health.

"I think I've got something," she said, frantically flipping through a file folder.

"What is it?"

Kim didn't bother answering him. She gathered the papers she was looking through in her arms and raced to the main Intelligence area. She held the folder up in the air with her good hand.

"What have you got, Burgess?" Voight asked.

"Stuart Red, one of the founders of the Reds was arrested twenty years ago on a breaking and entering charge. He was only sixteen. He went to juvie, but his records were sealed."

"Yeah, we saw that when we ran his information," Lindsey said.

"But I was able to find some of those sealed records. He was in juvie for six months. During that time, he shared a room with Richard Montana, a fifteen year old kid in juvie for theft."

"So…" Voight prompted.

"Richard Montana has an uncle who owned a fishing shack in the woods."

Kim pulled a photograph out of the file folder. It was a picture of a beat-up wooden shack surrounded by trees.

"You think that's the shack we're looking for?" Voight asked.

"The directions in the file to get to the shack are the exact same ones that are on my back."

"Good work, Burgess," Voight said, taking the photograph and taping it to the white board they were using to display their information.

"Thank you, sir."

"Well, we have a location. Now we just need to know what to prepare for."

"About that," Lindsey jumped in. "What if…"

Adam tuned her out. He was busy looking at Kim. She had a dazed look about her. All the color drained from her face. She dropped the folder onto the floor, the papers scattering everywhere. Adam saw her eyes roll back in her head. Adam jumped forward as her body crumpled. He caught her in his arms before she hit the ground.

"Kim, Kim," he repeated, placing her gently on her back. She didn't respond.

Lindsey rushed over and knelt down beside her and checked for a pulse.

"She's barely breathing," she reported.

"Come on, baby, stay with me," Adam whispered.

"No time for an ambulance," Voight commanded. "Put her in the back of one of the squad cars."

Adam carefully picked her up. Her body was completely limp, her face deathly pale. Her body felt cold. Adam raced with her down the stairs, hoping he wasn't too late.

What happened next was a blur. With Halstead driving the squad car and Adam holding onto Kim in his lap in the back, they got to the hospital in less than four minutes. From there, Kim was immediately put on a gurney and taken to the emergency room by Halstead's brother, Dr. Will Halstead. Adam had been immediately ushered out of the room by a nurse. He was left to wait in the waiting room, wondering if he would ever see her again. Halstead stayed with him.

"You should go back to Intelligence," Adam said to Halstead as he paced around the small room.

"I think you need me more than they do."

A few minutes later, Will walked into the room.

"How is she?" Adam asked, rushing to where Will stood.

"I'm not going to lie to you, it's still touch and go," Will explained. "We're taking her up to surgery now."

"Surgery?" Adam questioned. "For what?"

"Officer Burgess suffered a brain bleed as a result of the blow to her head."

"But she's going to be ok, right? I mean, you can fix it, right?" Adam pleaded.

"We're going to do our best."

Will turned to walk away.

"Could this have been prevented?" Adam asked. "If she came in when she was first injured, would she be ok?"

"Odds are if we caught the bleed early, the surgery would be a lot less risky. But I promise, we will do the best we can."

"Thank you."

"I'll update you as soon as I can."

Adam couldn't even say thank you. He dropped to his knees. He didn't know what else to do.

Adam could not stop walking back and forth in the small waiting room. He had tried watching TV and he had tried flipping through magazines, but nothing was keeping his attention. He just kept picturing Kim falling into his arms.

It had been hours since Kim had been taken up to surgery. He stared at the floor, realizing how worn the carpet was. It made him think of how many other people spent their time pacing in the waiting room. He wondered how many of them got good news and how many of them suffered bad news.

It was 2:00 PM. Whatever was going on at noon in the shack Kim uncovered was already over and done with. Halstead had left to be part of the team, but Adam couldn't go with him. He had to stay at the hospital. He had to be there for Kim no matter what. She was too important to him for him to leave her. Adam finished off his third coffee and tried to sit down. That lasted only a few minutes before he was on his feet again. He just couldn't sit still.

Thinking about getting another coffee, Adam started heading down the hall. He saw the entire Intelligence team walking towards him with Voight in the lead.

"How is she?" Voight asked.

"Still in surgery," Adam answered.

"She's strong. She'll be ok," Voight said.

Adam shook his head, not wanting to hear what Voight had to say. He felt the rage building. It had been building the entire time he had been stuck in the waiting room and he hadn't even realized it. Kim's life was in danger for one reason and one reason only. Voight.

"She wouldn't be here if it weren't for you!" Adam shouted. "You push too hard! You expect too much! She could die! And that's on you!"

"Ruzek…" Voight began.

"The woman I love is fighting for her life! I could lose her! Don't you get that? She's not just some pawn in your game to save this city! She's a person. She's the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with and now I might not get that chance! I hope you can live with that!"

Atwater stepped up.

"Adam, let's take a walk," Atwater suggested. Adam ignored him. Instead, he got in Voight's face, shaking his finger at him.

"She stayed in the field to impress you! She wanted you to see that she wasn't weak! You shouldn't have let her! She would have listened to you!"

"You and I both know that nothing we could have done or said would have made her change her mind," Voight stated.

"You could have ordered her to go to the hospital! You're a sergeant. Your job is to keep us safe! Instead you let her stay," Adam continued. "Because you don't care about anyone or anything except for solving cases! And now she could die! She could die because she wanted to prove to you how strong she was! Because you told her not to go to the hospital! I hope you can live with that!"

Adam stormed off. Atwater followed him. He walked right out of the hospital to the ambulance bay, needing fresh air.

"You ok?" Atwater asked after giving Adam a few minutes to cool down.

"She could die," Adam said quietly. A tear rolled down his cheek. He brushed it away.

"Burgess is strong, you know. She's one of the strongest people I ever met. Besides, she ain't leaving you. She loves you too much."

"I should have forced her to go to the hospital. I should have…"

"Don't do that. For as strong as she is, she's also stubborn. Nothing you could have done or said would have made her leave this case. That's why she's so good at what she does. She dedicated. One hundred percent."

"Yeah, well now she could die because of that dedication."

"Can't think like that, man," Atwater told him. "You need to think positive thoughts."

Adam was about to say something when he caught a glimpse of Will Halstead walking out the door towards them. Adam rushed over to him.

"How is she?" He asked.

"She made it through surgery," Will replied. Adam breathed a sigh of relief. "It wasn't easy but we caught it in time. She'll have a long recovery, but we expect her to pull through just fine."

"Thank you," Adam said. "Thank you very much."

"You're welcome."

"Can I see her?"

"I'll have a nurse come get you in a few minutes when she's settled into a recovery room," Will explained. "She'll be asleep for a little while before the anesthesia wears off."

"Thanks again," Adam said, shaking his hand.

"For what it's worth, your girlfriend is a fighter. Not everyone would have made it through that surgery."

As Will went back into the hospital, Atwater clapped Adam on the back.

"See, I told you she'd be alright."

Adam smiled. Nothing else mattered in that moment except that Kim was alive.

"Yeah. I just want to see her."

"We should tell everyone else."

"Could you?" Adam asked. "I don't think I'm ready to face everyone yet."

"Sure. Hang in there, man. It's going to be ok."

"Thanks."

Atwater gave him a quick hug before going back into the hospital. Adam leaned against the building and took a deep breath. Kim was ok. He had to keep reminding himself that.

"I just heard the news," Voight said, coming to stand beside Adam.

"Yeah. She's going to be ok."

"That's good."

They shared a pregnant pause.

"Sir, I need to apologize for what I said back there. I…"

Voight put his hand up. "No need."

"No. I was out of line. When I thought I was going to lose her…" he trailed off. "I meant what I said about her. She's love the love of my life. I can't imagine life without her."

"That's what love is all about," Voight said.

"I…ah…I'm going to ask her to marry me."

Voight smiled and shook Adam's hand.

"I'm happy for you."

"I decided a few weeks ago. I already bought the ring. I'm just waiting for the right time."

"Congratulations, Ruzek."

"She's gotta say yes first," Adam said.  
"She will. I see the way you two look at each other, even when you're trying not to be obvious."  
Adam chuckled.

"Thank you, sir."

"And, I don't say this very often, Ruzek, but you were right. I should have insisted that Burgess go get checked out at the hospital. You were right to be angry. Sometimes I forget that our team isn't superhuman."

"She just wants to be part of Intelligence so badly that sometimes I think she's willing to do anything."

"You know, she might not be an official member of Intelligence, but I think it's safe to say that she's part of the team."

"Thank you, sir. She'd appreciate you saying that."

"Look, anything you two need, we're here for you."

"Thanks, Sarg. Hey, how did the raid go?"

"Better than expected. We got twenty-two members of the crew booked on trafficking cocaine and I think this time it will stick. Best part is, that bad cocaine is off the streets."

"That's good."

"Yeah, but you don't need to worry about any of it. You just make sure Burgess gets well. You take as much time as you need."

"Yes, sir."

Adam and Voight stood in silence for a few minutes before a nurse appeared and brought Adam up to Kim's room. She was still unconscious, her head bandaged, her wrist in a proper cast. Adam dragged a chair next to her bed and held her good hand. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, whispering to her that everything was going to be ok. It took another twenty minutes before Kim's eyes began to flutter open.

"Hey," Adam said quietly, willing her to open her eyes and really look at him. Moaning, Kim slowly opened her eyes. He brushed his thumb over her knuckles. "Welcome back."

"What happened?" She asked sleepily.

"You collapsed at work. We had to take you to the hospital in one of the squad cars."

"Platt will kill you if you got any blood in that car," Kim said with a lightness to her voice.

Adam chuckled. "We were careful."

"What was wrong with me?" She wondered.

"You had a brain bleed. I'm sure Dr. Halstead will fill you in on the gruesome details, but you were in surgery for hours."

"That would explain the headache," she said with a slight smile.

"You gave me quite a scare."

"I'm sorry. Did they get the bad guys?"

Adam could see her eyes beginning to close again. She was obviously exhausted.

"Yeah, they did."

"Good."

"You gotta promise me you won't do that to me ever again. I thought I was going to lose you."

"Can't get rid of me that easily," she responded, laughing.

"If you're hurt, you are going to the hospital. You gotta promise me that."

"You too," she replied.

"Deal."

Adam thought about what he had said to Voight. He did have an engagement ring buried in his sock drawer at home. He had been waiting for the right moment to ask Kim to marry him. He wondered if he had found his moment.

"I'm so tired," she whispered.

"Sleep, baby," Adam said, deciding it wasn't the right moment after all. When he asked her to marry him, he wanted her to be one hundred percent coherent. "I'll be here when you wake up."

"You don't have to be."

"I don't have anywhere else to be," he said. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I love you."

"Love you, too," she whispered before succumbing to sleep.

Author's Note: I just love tender moments! Thanks again to CPDRuzekFan for the suggestion of "rage." More coming soon!


	5. Chapter 5 - Cold

**Chapter 5 - Cold**

Cold seeped through Kim's body, causing her to shiver. She was standing in front of her locker in a white tank top. She had just showered after spending thirty minutes at the gym. It was late, but Kim's shift was beginning in ten minutes. She had drawn the short straw that week and was stuck with all night shifts. She didn't even know who her partner was going to be. Platt warned that she'd probably be stuck with a new person every night since Roman was still on the day shift. The thought was less than appealing. Kim hated working with a new partner as much as she hated the night shift.

Kim grabbed her long-sleeved police shirt out of her locker. She couldn't believe how cold it was. The temperature had dropped a good thirty degrees from morning to night. It was well below freezing, almost approaching single digits. Kim knew she'd have to dress warmly.

As she pulled her long-sleeved shirt on, the door to the locker room opened. Adam Ruzek walked in. They locked eyes. Kim immediately looked away, quickly buttoning up her shirt. Even though she was wearing a tank top under her uniform, she felt completely naked under his gaze. She glanced over, watching as Adam stopped at his locker. She noticed he was taking out a uniform shirt. She was a little confused, knowing he never wore a uniform. Jeans and clean shirt were the only requirements of Intelligence. That was one of the many benefits of being in Intelligence, not that Kim would know.

Kim felt like she should say something to Adam. It felt awkward to be in the same room with him and to be silent. It was impossible to act casual around him. Of course Kim realized that they hadn't been casual from the very moment they met. There was an instant connection between them that she couldn't explain. It was only made worse when she kissed him outside of Molly's. She wished she could say she regretted it, but she didn't. She had wanted to kiss him and by the way he responded, she thought he wanted to kiss her too. The problem was, days later he told her that he wanted to work things out with his fiancé, Wendy, and that he wanted to be just friends. They had barely spoken since then except when it came to conversations about work.

"Going out on patrol?" Kim finally asked, pulling her hair into a ponytail. She took her jacket out of her locker, preparing for a cold night.

"Yeah. Platt's got all of us doing another couple shifts out on the streets. She says it keeps us Intelligence guys humble."

"Yeah, well, Platt has a reason for everything she does."

"Sometimes I think she just likes to bust our balls."

Kim smiled. "Yeah, you're probably right." She closed her locker and put her jacket on. "Well, have a good shift."

"Actually…" Adam began. "I'm your partner for tonight."

"What?"

"Platt assigned us to work together."

Kim didn't know what to say. She didn't know if Platt had put them together on purpose or if she and Adam had just been randomly assigned. Somehow she doubted it was random.

"Oh."

"Look, it's…it's one night."

"Right," Kim replied, remembering that they kissed after the last time they had been partnered up. Kim tried to brush the memory away. If she didn't, she wasn't going to make it through her shift with him.

"Could be fun," Adam said.

Kim nodded. "Yeah."

Adam pulled on his jacket. "Alright. Let's see what trouble we can get ourselves into."

Kim nodded and followed him out of the room. She knew she was in for a long night.

As they drove, Kim watched the fat snowflakes falling from the sky through the windshield. The windshield wipers were losing the battle against keeping the windshield clear. Visibility was almost non-existent. The only thing worse than the snowy windshield, was the condition of the roads. They were beginning to become slick with icy snow.

"It's getting bad," Adam said, sipping his coffee in the passenger seat.

"Yeah," Kim agreed.

They hadn't said much in their two hours on shift. Aside from checking out a possible robbery, which turned into the store owner just forgetting his keys and trying to break into his own store, there hadn't been much activity for them to investigate. People in Chicago tended to stay home during snowstorms. It was too dangerous otherwise.

"Want me to drive?" Adam offered.

"No, I'm fine."  
As she said it, the car began to slide. Kim expertly got it back under control and they were back on the road in no time.

"Maybe we should go back to the precinct," Adam suggested.

"I…"

Whatever Kim was about to say was cutoff by a voice on their radio.

"Squad twenty-two," the voice said. Neither Adam nor Kim recognized who it was.

"Go ahead," Adam said, answering the radio.

"We've got a one-twelve on Anaheim road."

Adam looked at Kim quizzically.

"That's a welfare check," she told him.

"87 year old female, lives alone at 16 Anaheim Road. Family hasn't been able to reach her," the voice on the radio said.

"Phone lines could be down," Adam thought out loud.

"True, but we still have to check it out," Kim replied.

"Anaheim road is like twenty miles away up in the boonies. It's not even our district."

"Doesn't matter," Kim told him. "If we get called, we go."

"Do you copy, squad twenty-two?" The voice asked.

"Yes, we copy," Kim said, taking over the radio. "It might take us a while to get there."

"Ten-four," the voice on the radio responded.

Kim hung up the radio and plugged the address into the car's GPS.

"I can't believe we're going all the way out there. We're gonna kill ourselves out here in this weather."

"Welcome to being out on patrol."

Kim put the siren on and began heading off in the direction the GPS told her. At first the drive was somewhat manageable. The roads were clear enough for them to drive on and the snow even seemed to slow down at some point. Kim barely reached speeds above thirty miles per hour, but they continued to make slow progress. As they ventured outside the city, however, the conditions changed. The roads weren't plowed and the snow began to fall more heavily. There were no streetlights. It was like driving without being able to see anything. Kim gripped the wheel so tightly, her knuckles were turning white.

"This is insane," Adam said. "These vehicles weren't meant for these conditions."

"We'll make it," Kim mumbled, trying to concentrate on the road that she could barely see.

They drove for another thirty minutes. A drive that should only have taken them twenty minutes tops was taking them over an hour. Finally, the headlights flashed on a street sign for Anaheim road. Kim slowed the car.

"Can you see the house?" Adam asked.

"No, but I don't think we're going to make it up that hill."

Through the snow, they could both see a looming hill in front of them. It hadn't been plowed at all. They both knew the car would start sliding if they even attempted to make it to the top.

"I guess we're going on foot," Adam said.

"I guess so," Kim agreed, starting to wonder if Adam had been right. Maybe they should have turned around a long time ago.

Kim could barely get her door open, the wind was so bad. The cold air seemed to attack her every extremity and cut right through her winter gear. Still, she knew she and Adam had a job to do. Trudging through the knee-deep snow, she joined Adam at the front of the car. He pulled a flashlight out of his pocket and shone it on the ground. All it revealed was more snow.

"This is insane!" Adam shouted over the howling wind.

"Let's just hope we find this woman alive and well. No ambulance will make it this far. Let's go!"

Adam nodded and they began trudging up the snowy hill. Each step seemed more difficult than the last. A few times, both Adam and Kim slipped. They each lent a hand to the other. Despite the awkwardness they had been through, Kim was glad she was with Adam. She felt safe with him.

After what felt like an eternity out in the freezing cold, Kim and Adam finally saw the house in front of them. There were no lights on. It didn't look like anyone was home. They both climbed up the snow-filled front steps onto the snowy porch and walked up to the door. Adam knocked loudly. There was no answer.

"This is the Chicago Police Department!" Adam shouted, pounding on the door once more. "We're just here to make sure you're ok. Open the door please!"

Kim tried to look in one of the first-floor windows, but could see nothing. Adam tried the door knob, but as he expected, it was locked.

"I don't think anyone's here," Kim said.  
As soon as she said it, a voice came over the radio that Kim had at her hip. Kim had to remove her gloves to get the radio to be able to hear it.

"Squad twenty-two, cancel that one-twelve. Family has located the woman in question. She is staying with a friend during the storm."

"Great!" Adam shouted. "We risked our lives coming up here and she's not even here!"

"It's all part of the job," Kim said, trying to remain positive. At least the woman wasn't hurt. As Kim attempted to put her gloves back on before her hands froze, she took a step. The board beneath her gave way and she fell.

"Kim!" Adam shouted, rushing to her side. He dropped to his knees beside her. "Are you alright?"

"My leg…it's stuck!" She exclaimed.

Adam brushed as much snow out of the way as possible to see what was going on. Kim's left leg had fallen straight through a rotted floorboard.

"I'm going to help you up."

Adam stood up and maneuvered himself so he was behind her. He put his hands under her arms and pulled until he was sure her leg was out of the hole. He placed her gently down in the snow. Her pant leg was ripped. There was a large gash running from her knee to her ankle. Blood was already running down her leg, staining the snow crimson red.

"Damn it!" Kim shouted, immediately covering her wound with her gloved hands. The contact made her hiss.

"It's alright. We're going to get you help."

"How? In case you haven't noticed, we're in the middle of a blizzard!"

"I noticed when I told you that we shouldn't have come up here in the first place!" He yelled. "I'm calling an ambulance."

"Don't be stupid. It's just a scratch."

"And how exactly do you plan on making it back down that hill? Even with my help, you won't make it."

Kim looked in the direction of the car. She couldn't even see it with all of the swirling snow. She knew on two good legs, it would be an impossible trek. With one bad leg, she was screwed.

"I'll be fine," she said even though she didn't believe it. "Besides, an ambulance won't make it up here. You know that."

Adam sighed. "Forget it. We're staying here."

"We'll freeze here," Kim stated, her body already shivering.

"I'm not going to let that happen."

Adam looked around. He stared at the front door of the unoccupied house. With the blizzard in full force all around them, he knew their options were limited. Adam took out his gun.

"What are you doing?" Kim asked.

"Keeping us alive."

Adam aimed the gun at the doorknob. He squeezed the trigger. The sound was deafening, but the lock shot off.

"Ruzek!" Kim shouted.

"I didn't have a choice."

"We cannot break into this house!"

"I think I just did. Besides, we can't make it back to the car and we can't stay out here. This was the only option."

"Platt is going to kill us," Kim murmured.

"Fine. She can kill us after we survive this blizzard."

Adam helped Kim to her feet. She could barely put any weight on her injured leg. Adam immediately put his arm around her, letting her lean on him. Together they hobbled into the house. Adam flicked on a light switch, but nothing happened.

"Power must be out," Kim observed.

Using his flashlight to illuminate the place, Adam looked around. They were standing in a small hallway, a set of stairs ahead of them. Adam knew it would be too much to get up the steps. He focused his attention to his left. It looked like a living room complete with a couch and fireplace.

"Bingo," Adam said. He helped Kim to the couch. Once she sat, Adam helped her prop up her leg on the coffee table in front of them. He aimed his flashlight at her wound.

"It's fine," she said.

"I'll be the judge of that."

Adam ripped open her pant leg to the knee.

"Hey!" She said.

"What? Were you planning on saving this pair?"

"I told you, I'm fine."

"It's not fine," he told her after careful examination. "You need stitches."

"Well, unless you're a doctor and never told me, stitches will have to wait until we can get out of this place."

"I'm going to find some bandages or something."

"Just be careful," Kim said.

Adam nodded. He took off his snow-covered jacket and flung it on a nearby chair. Taking the flashlight with him, he went off in search of medical supplies. Kim took the time to radio to the precinct that she and Adam were stuck because of the blizzard. She was told that basically the whole city was shut down. She and Adam were instructed to sit tight until the storm was over.

Kim was glad they had found a safe place to ride out the blizzard, but that wasn't her biggest worry. She had no idea how she was going to make it through the night alone with Adam when she wanted nothing more than to kiss him again.

With the kiss fresh on her mind, Adam returned with a small first aid kit. He put it down on the table and began cleaning the gash on Kim's leg. She winced, but made no noise. He gently wrapped her leg with gauze and taped in place. He also had her take two Aleve with a glass of water.

"That should do for now," he said.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Adam noticed Kim shiver from the cold. Without electricity, the house wasn't heated. "You should get out of those wet clothes."

"Trying to get me naked?" Kim retorted before she even knew what she was saying. She regretted saying it almost immediately. Adam had made it very clear that they were just friends and yet, she was flirting with him.

"Maybe I can start a fire in the fire place," Adam said.

Kim was glad he chose to ignore his comment.

"Good idea."

There was a stack of firewood beside the fireplace. Adam put some wood in the fireplace and then grabbed some nearby newspaper. He crumpled it up and added it to the fireplace to act as a fire starter. He found a lighter in the kitchen and within ten minutes, he had a pretty good-sized fire going.

"That should keep us warm enough. How are you feeling?"

"Idiotic," she answered.

"Why?"

"Because I'm the one who insisted we head up here in a blizzard."

"You were following orders. You're a good cop, Kim. You were just doing your job."

Adam sat down next to Kim on the couch. She had removed her wet coat and had her arms crossed. Despite the fire, she couldn't stop shivering. Adam took an afghan off the back of the couch and put it around her shoulders.

"Thanks," she said.

"Don't mention it."

Silence stretched between them. It was as if neither of them knew what to say. In a way it saddened Kim that she had ruined their friendship by kissing him. Adam had always been someone she felt comfortable talking to. He had an ease about him that she gravitated towards. She hated that it was awkward to be sitting there beside him all because of some stupid kiss.

"Maybe we should try to get some sleep," she suggested. "It's going to be a long trek out of here tomorrow."

"Yeah, you're right."

Kim leaned her head back and closed her eyes. She tried to erase her thoughts and fall asleep, but she couldn't.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"For what?" Adam asked.

"For kissing you outside of Molly's," she said quickly, the words coming out in one long breath. "I know I shouldn't have. I just…I had had a few beers and I confused friendship with…"

"Burgess…" Adam interrupted.

"No, I've been meaning to say this for a while. I know you're with Wendy and I accept that. I just don't want things to be awkward between us. I don't want to lose your friendship because I did something stupid."

"It wasn't stupid." Kim looked over at him, surprised at his admission. "I wanted it, too."

"But…"

"Wendy and I broke up."

Kim didn't know what to say. She blinked a few times, letting the news settle in.

"I'm sorry," she finally said.

"I'm not. It happened a few days ago."

"If I had anything to do with it, I'm so sorry. If you want me to talk to her, I'll tell her it was all my fault."

"No. It wasn't your fault and I'm not sad that it's over. I should have broken up with her a long time ago. We're just two different people who want two different things. I don't love her anymore. I don't know if I ever loved her the way you're supposed to love somebody you're about to marry."

"Oh," Kim said, not sure what else to say. She couldn't help but notice that Adam had scooted closer to her on the couch.

"These last few days, I've been trying to figure out how to ask you out."

"You…what?"

"I've wanted to ask you out, but I also don't want to be that asshole who starts dating immediately after breaking up with his fiancé."

"Oh," Kim repeated, still not sure what to say. She had not expected their conversation to go in the direction it was going in.

"I asked Platt to put us together tonight."

"You did?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

He chuckled. "Isn't it obvious? I wanted to spend time with you. I wanted to relive the good times we had last time we were partnered together."

"And did we? Relieve the good times?"

"I think we're about to make it better."

Before Kim could say anything, Adam closed the small gap between them to capture her lips with his. He leaned against her as their kiss intensified. Her hands snaked around his body, exploring his back with her fingertips. It wasn't until they were both breathless did Adam finally pull back.

"Wow," Kim whispered.

"I've wanted to do that for a very long time," Adam said.

"Then why did you stop?" She teased.

"Because I'm a gentlemen and I won't take advantage of an injured woman."

Kim laughed. "What if she didn't mind?"

Adam cupped her cheek with his hand.

"I want to do this right. I don't want to rush anything."

Kim nodded, knowing he was right. Working together, they both had a lot at stake. They had to think carefully about their choices and the consequences that came as a result of those choices. The fact that Adam was restraining himself only made him that much more desirable.

"Ok," Kim agreed.

"But that doesn't mean we can't snuggle."

"I like the sound of that."

Adam leaned against the arm of the couch, draping one leg over the edge so she had space to lean against him. She scooted back against him, leaning her body on his. She pressed her face into his chest and breathed a sigh of contentment. Adam took the blanket that had been around her shoulders and placed it over them both. He kissed her on the top of her head and she closed her eyes.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight," she murmured as she fell asleep.

Author's Note: I had a snow day today so this chapter seemed very appropriate (plus I had a whole day to stay home and write)! I hope you liked it. Don't forget to review and give me any suggestions!


	6. Chapter 6 - Guilt

**Chapter 6 - Guilt**

Guilt was an all-consuming emotion. No matter what he did, Adam couldn't shake it. The guilt he was feeling was worse than the time he had cheated on his second grade math test and ended up confessing to his teacher by lunch. It was worse than when he snuck out of the house as a teenager and ended up denting the family car. The guilt of what he had done was killing him. And every time he saw Kim, it only got worse.

Adam was sitting at the kitchen table, waiting for Kim to get home. After two days of torturing himself, he decided it was time to come clean. He couldn't avoid telling the truth anymore and he could no longer live with the guilt. Kim deserved better than that. He started drumming his fingers against the table, impatiently waiting for her to come through the door.

After what felt like an eternity, the door finally opened. Adam jumped up out of his seat. Kim walked in, carrying bags of groceries.

"Hey," she said, a little surprised to see him standing there as if he was waiting for her.

"Hey," he replied.

"So I was thinking we could just do frozen pizza for dinner," Kim explained. "I picked up a…"

"I kissed someone!"

48 Hours Earlier

"I can't believe you're not coming," Adam said, standing in front of the full length mirror in his bedroom. He was trying to adjust his necktie, but no matter what he did, it didn't look right. He hated wearing a tie. It made him feel like he was wearing a noose.

"I'm sorry I can't be there," Kim replied. "But this is an important night for Zoe and I promised her I would be there."

"I know. I'm just gonna miss you."

Kim walked up behind him. She was wearing a floral printed dress, her hair tied back. Although they were both dressed to go out, they had very different evenings planned. Adam was going to a retirement party at a swanky restaurant for Jerry Wright, an instructor at the police academy. The night was going to be full of drunk cops telling old stories. Although Adam had RSVP'd to the event weeks earlier and was originally excited about going, he really had no interest of going without Kim. Kim, on the other hand, was going to her niece's honors ceremony. Zoe was receiving a special award for perfect attendance. Kim had promised her she would attend the ceremony.

"At least Halstead will be there," Kim pointed out. With his back to her, Kim put her arms around him and helped him straighten his tie. "Who knows, you might have fun."

Adam caught her eye in the mirror. After Kim successfully got his tie in place, Adam turned around. He put his hands on Kim's waist.

"Not likely," he said.

"Listen, I'll be home around nine. When you get home, maybe I'll make it up to you for me not being able to go with you."

"What did you have mind?" He asked flirtatiously.

"Play your cards right and you might get lucky."

"I like the sound of that," he said. He leaned in to kiss her, but she put her finger in between their lips, stopping him.

"I don't want to ruin my makeup."

"Fine, but you'll owe me tonight."

"Deal," she said. "I gotta go. I don't want to be late. I'll see you tonight."

Kim smiled at him before walking away. When he heard the front door close, Adam turned back to the mirror. It was going to be a long, lonely night and he was not looking forward it.

A few hours later, Adam was sitting at a bar in the upscale restaurant surrounded mostly by people he didn't know. He had spent some time talking to Halstead, but he was off talking to other friends. Adam glanced down at his watch. In another half an hour, he was going to leave. He had made an appearance, gave his best to his retiring instructor, and he was ready to go.

"Is this seat taken?" A female asked.

Adam didn't even look up.

"Nope. Go right ahead."  
The woman sat down on the barstool beside him. Adam concentrated on finishing his drink.

"You're Adam Ruzek, right?"

Adam finally turned to look at the woman. She had a pretty face with piercing green eyes and shoulder-length blond hair. She was in a short, black, form-fitting dress that showed off an unbelievable body. Any man would say she as attractive to say the least. It took him a few seconds, but then Adam recognized her.

"Stacy," he finally said. "Stacy Radcliffe."

"You got it," she replied with a smile.

"It's been what? Twenty years?"

"Twenty-three, I think," she clarified.

"Last time I saw you, you were running around dressed like a princess."

"I did have quite an extensive princess phase," she replied with a laugh.

Adam remembered her fondly. She had lived next door to Adam when they were growing up. Adam had been best friends with her brother. She was a few years younger than them and spent most of her time tagging along on their adventures.

"Can I buy you a drink?" Adam asked.

"It's open bar, remember?" She replied.

"In that case, I'll buy you two."

Adam got the attention of the bartender. Stacy ordered a glass of red wine. Adam ordered another whiskey.

"So, how have you been Adam?"

"Good," he answered. "What are you doing here? How do you know Jerry?"

"He's my uncle."

"Really? Is your brother here?"

"No. He's living in London now," she explained. "He's going to be sad he missed you. How do you know Jerry?"

"He was my instructor at the police academy."

"Oh, so you're a cop?" She asked.

"Yeah. I work for a specialized unit called Intelligence," he explained.

"Sounds dangerous."

"It can be, but I love it," Adam said. "How about you? What do you do?"

"I own my own yoga studio," she told him.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Yoga, zumba, pilates, you name it, we do it. It was always a dream of mine to own a business. It's a lot of work, but I love it."

"Good for you," Adam said sincerely. Judging by the shape she was in, Adam wasn't surprised that she did yoga frequently.

"It's nice running into you."

"Yeah, you too," Adam replied, finishing his drink. He debated on ordering a third. He wasn't in a hurry to leave anymore.

"Do you remember that time our families went to that amusement park in New Jersey together?"

"That place should have been shut down," Adam said. "It was an accident waiting to happen. I can't believe your mom even let you go on the rides."

"I remember you and my brother kept ditching me after every ride. I got so angry with you both."

"Yeah, sorry about that."

She laughed. "It's ok. I get it, I was the annoying little sister. So…how's your family?"

Two drinks later, Adam and Stacy were deep in conversation. They laughed over memories from their childhood and talked about their lives. Adam, somehow, had managed to not mention Kim once. He hadn't really done it on purpose. Somehow her existence just never came up. Adam's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked at the text message Kim had sent him.

'Just got home. You still out?'

Adam texted her back. 'Yeah. I'll be home soon.'

Before Adam put his phone away, he looked at the time. It was past 9:30. Adam realized he and Stacy had been chatting for close to two hours.

"I…ah…I have to get going," Adam said to Stacy.

"So soon?"

"I'm sorry. I've got somewhere else I have to be."

Adam didn't know why he didn't mention Kim in that moment. It would have been very easy to say that he had to go home to the beautiful woman he not only lived with, but loved with all his heart. For some reason, though, he chose to keep her to himself.

"It was nice seeing you again, Adam," Stacy said. "Maybe we can do it again sometime."

"Actually, I…" Adam began, ready to tell her about Kim.

Before he could say anything, though, Stacy leaned in and kissed him. Adam's brain immediately went into overdrive. There was only one person's lips he wanted to taste and Stacy's wasn't them. Adam immediately pulled back, leaving Stacy a little shocked.

"I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?" She asked. Adam guessed that she wasn't used to being denied.

"No," Adam answered quickly. "I'm sorry. I'm the one who did something wrong. I'm seeing someone. I should have told you."

"Oh," she replied, obviously disappointed. "Is it serious?"

"Yeah, it is. We live together. She's…the love of my life."

"Then she's a very lucky woman."

"I'm the lucky one," Adam added. "I'm sorry. I should have told you earlier. I didn't mean to…lead you on or anything."

"It's ok. You didn't. We were catching up. I just thought…we had a connection, that's all."

"It was nice to see you again, Stacy," Adam said, speaking the truth. It was nice to see a friend from his past. "Tell your brother I said hello."

"I will. Goodbye Adam."

She reached out her hand. Adam shook it.

"Bye," he said.

Adam began making his way out of the restaurant. He couldn't stop thinking about the kiss. It was wrong and he knew it. He should never have let it get that far.

Adam saw Halstead standing with a group of cops, chatting. When Halstead saw him, he excused himself from the group and walked up to Adam.

"Hey," Halstead said. "You leaving?"

"Yeah I'm heading out. I told Kim I wouldn't be home too late."

"Too bad she couldn't make it."

"Yeah."

"You ok?" Halstead asked. "You seem…tense."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

Adam pulled Halstead to a corner of the restaurant that wasn't so crowded. He didn't want anyone overhearing them even if he hardly knew anyone there.

"Hypothetically speaking, what would you do if you had the most amazing woman in your life, but then you went out one night and you ran into a girl you used to know and she kissed you? Would you tell your amazing woman at home?"

"Wait…you kissed someone tonight?" Halstead asked, a big smile on his face. "Who is it? Is she here?"

"It's a hypothetical," Adam reminded him.

"Yeah, right. Who is she? Point her out."

Adam looked around. He spotted Stacy across the room, chatting with her uncle. Adam pointed at her.

"There she is."

"She's hot," Halstead commented. "Is she a cop?"

"No. Jerry's her Uncle."

"How do you know her?"

"We grew up next door to each other," Adam explained. "I was friends with her brother."

"Small world."

"Look, should I tell Kim or not?"

"I thought it was hypothetical," Halstead said.

"What would you do?"

"Did you kiss her or did she kiss you?"

"She kissed me," Adam stated. He wanted that to be absolutely clear. "I stopped it immediately."

"Then don't tell Burgess."

"You sure?"

"Look, if you tell Burgess, you're going to lose her trust. She's constantly going to be checking up on you, wondering what you're doing. You don't tell her and you got nothing to lose."

"You don't think that's…dishonest?" Adam asked, trying to get some clarity. He couldn't stop thinking about the feeling of Stacy's lips against his, but it wasn't because he wanted to kiss her again. It was because he felt guilty.

"It's not like you cheated on her. These things happen."

"Yeah, I guess," Adam mumbled.

"If people in relationships were honest with each other one hundred percent of the time, nobody would ever be in a relationship," Halstead said. "Trust me on this one, man. Don't tell her. You'll live a happier life."

"Alright, thanks man."

"No sweat."

"See you Monday," Adam said, wanting to get home to Kim as soon as possible. He was ready for the night to be over.

"Yeah. Good luck with Burgess."

"Thanks."

As Adam made his way out of the restaurant, the guilt continued to grow. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to live with his secret. But then again, if he did tell Kim, would she ever trust him again? Was Halstead right? Should he not tell Kim? His thoughts weighed on him all the way home.

48 Hours Later

"I kissed someone!" Adam blurted out.

Kim dropped the grocery bags on the ground. She blinked a few times, unsure of what to do or say. The look on Adam's face was pitiful.

"Ok," she finally said.

"Ok? That's all you have to say?"

"What would you like me to say?" She replied.

"I don't know…yell at me or something. Demand I give you an explanation. Tell me you hate me…anything."

"When did it happen?" Kim asked.

"At Jerry's engagement party. The guilt has been eating me up ever since. I should have told you that night. I'm sorry. I…"

"Who was she?"

"She was nobody," he answered quickly.

"You just went up to a random woman and kissed her?"

Adam shook his head. "She kissed me."

"So…which is it? She kissed you or you kissed her?"

"She kissed me," Adam clarified.

"So a random woman walked up and kissed you?"

"She's Jerry's niece. Her name is Stacy. I grew up with her. She lived next door. I didn't know Jerry was her uncle."

"Look, Adam…" Kim began.

"She was someone I used to know when I was a kid," Adam continued, feeling like he owed Kim a better explanation. He knew he wasn't making much sense. "I haven't seen her in over twenty years. We got to chatting and drinking, you know. I just lost track of time. When I got your message, I told her I had to leave and she just…she just kissed me."  
"Did you kiss her back?"

"No," he stated quickly. "I swear I didn't kiss her back. I stopped it right away."

"And it was just one kiss?"

Adam nodded. "That was it. I immediately told her I was seeing someone and…"

"But you didn't tell her that before she kissed you. In all the time you spent talking, you didn't once mention me?"

"I'm sorry. We just got so caught up in reminiscing. It felt…good to talk to someone who wasn't a police officer. I wasn't leading her on. Or at least I wasn't trying to. We were just…talking."

"Fine," she said. Adam was surprised he didn't hear more anger in her voice. In the whole conversation she didn't sound angry. It surprised him. If she had come home with the same story, he didn't think he would have as calm a reaction.

Kim picked up the grocery bags from where she dropped them and brought them into the kitchen. She began putting the groceries away.

"Fine? It's not fine!" Adam exclaimed. "I shouldn't have let it get that far. I know that. I'm sorry. I swear it will never happen again."

As Kim took a frozen pizza out of one of the bags, she walked over to the oven. She turned it on, setting the preheat setting to the right temperature.

"Ok," she said, putting a six pack of beer she had bought into the refrigerator.

"Would you please stop and look at me?"

Adam stepped towards her. He put his hand on her shoulder. She turned around, but wouldn't meet his eyes.

"I don't think I can look at you," she said.

Adam knew she was disappointed in him.

"Babe, I am so sorry. I love you. You know I love you and I promise I will never let anything like that happen again. But you've got to forgive me. I don't know if I can…" Kim cracked a smile. She was trying to stifle a giggle, but she couldn't. "What the hell is so funny?"

"Nothing. Please continue your groveling," she said with a smile.

"This isn't funny. I'm pouring my heart out to you about a mistake I made and…and you're laughing?"

"I'm sorry. I'll stop. Go ahead."

"Why should I? You obviously don't care what I have to say," he said angrily.

"It's not that." She put her hand on his cheek. "It's just…I already knew about the kiss."

"Wait…what?"

"I knew you kissed someone," she stated.

"How?"

Kim shrugged as if it were no big deal. "Lindsey told me."

The oven beeped, signaling it was ready. Kim took the pizza out of the box and slid it inside the oven. She set the timer for twenty minutes.

"Lindsey told you? How the hell did she find out?"

"Halstead," Kim said.

"I'm never telling Halstead anything again."

"Don't be too hard on him. I think he told her in a drunken stupor. And she only told me because she was looking out for me. Us women have to stick together, you know."

"So you've known all this time?" He asked. "And you didn't say anything?"  
"I was waiting for you to tell me. I was wondering how long it was going to take."

"This has been killing me for two days," he stated. "I can't believe you knew all along."

She shrugged. "I figured the guilt was payment for what happened."

"And you're not mad?"

"We're both human, Adam. Am I thrilled that a beautiful woman tried to kiss you? No. Am I going to stop trusting you because of it? No. I know what we have together. I know that a little kiss isn't going to jeopardize that. Next time, just tell me right away and then you won't have to live with all that guilt."  
"There won't be a next time," he assured her.

"Glad to hear it."

Kim leaned against him and kissed him.

"Yours are the only lips I will ever want," he told her.

"I like the sound of that."

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.

"I'm still never telling Halstead anything again."  
"Are we going to talk about Halstead or are we going to have makeup sex?"  
"I thought you weren't really angry," he said with a smirk.

"Well, I can pretend to be. After all, makeup sex can be very satisfying."  
Adam looked at the timer on the oven. "Fine, but we only have eighteen minutes."

"I'll race you."

Kim rushed off to the bedroom. Adam wasn't far behind.

Author's Note: Well, I had another snow day today so lots more time to write and edit. Thanks for reading and thanks for your ideas! Keep them coming – they inspire me!


	7. Chapter 7 - Hangry

**Chapter 7 - Hangry**

Hangry. It was a stupid, made-up word that Kim loathed. She had heard a group of teenagers she arrested for shoplifting using the word once to describe their feelings and it sounded absurd. How could being hungry make you that angry? Despite the fact that others had begun using the word around her, Kim had refused to use the words in her every day vocabulary. She decided that any person over the age of twenty shouldn't use the word, even if it was the new cool thing to say. The decision to never use the word, however, came before Kim found herself standing in front of her refrigerator with the door open, her belly extending so far that she couldn't see her feet, waiting for her husband to come home.

Kim scowled at the empty refrigerator. Somehow she and Adam had managed to run out of anything that could be considered food. All that was in the refrigerator were condiments and a six pack of beer. The thought of condiments made Kim want to barf and beer was clearly off limits. As she got a swift kick to her bladder from the baby growing inside of her, Kim actually moaned out loud. She already loved the tiny being that she and Adam created together, but the baby always seemed to kick her at the most inopportune times.

Kim shut the refrigerator door and waddled off to the bathroom. She relieved herself, but then had trouble standing up from the toilet. The hunger pains that shot through her were not helping the situation.

After exerting some serious effort getting herself off the toilet, Kim made her way into the living room. She plopped down on the couch. She put her hands on her swollen belly. She was only a few weeks from giving birth and it couldn't come fast enough. Not only was she looking forward to meeting the little miracle that she and Adam created, but she was also looking forward to not being pregnant. She was not one of those women who enjoyed pregnancy. She had mostly avoided major morning sickness and other such pregnancy horrors, so she knew she shouldn't complain, but being pregnant prevented her from doing the thing she loved most – her job. As soon as she found out she was pregnant, she was pulled from active duty. She had spent eight months sitting at a desk and she hated. To make matters worse, she had watched Adam continue with his normal duties in Intelligence. He was allowed to go out into dangerous situations, which just plain irritated her. It wasn't fair that she was suffering and he wasn't.

Kim grabbed her cell phone from the coffee table in front of her. She checked her text messages, but didn't have anything new. She re-read Adam's last message.

'Leaving now. I'll pick up something for dinner.'

His message was sent over an hour before. Kim had no idea what could be keeping him. She knew Intelligence didn't currently have a case and she also knew that no delivery place should take that long to make food. Worry began to creep in. Could something have happened to Adam? She stared at her phone for a few minutes, wondering what she should do. She eventually settled on texting him.

'Just checking in. On your way home?' she wrote.

Kim waited another few moments for a response. She got nothing in return. With dread beginning to weigh heavily, she speed-dialed his number. It rang a few times before he finally answered.

"Hey, babe," he said.

She felt immediate relief that he answered. She could hear music and people chatting in the background.

"Where are you?" She asked.

"I'm at Molly's. I stopped in for a quick drink with the guys."

It took Kim a minute to process what he said. He was totally fine. He wasn't in some ditch somewhere on the side of the road. He hadn't been assaulted or mugged or anything else too horrible to imagine. He was out with his friends. While she was sitting at home with no food to speak of, eight months pregnant, he was enjoying himself with his buddies at their favorite bar.

"You're…what?" Kim snapped.

"I'm at Molly's."

"You listen to me, Adam Ruzek. If you don't want to spend the next eighteen years sleeping on the couch, I suggest you come home with food right now!"

"Woah, slow down. Are you…are you angry with me?"

"Now!" She shouted.

"Kim…"

Kim hung up the phone. She felt tempted to throw her cell phone across the room, but then she knew that would just mean she'd have to get up and retrieve it and that was not going to happen. Getting up took too much energy. She tried to calm herself down, knowing that stress wasn't good for the baby.

"It's ok," she cooed, talking to her stomach. "Mommy and daddy just had a little argument because daddy is being a self-absorbed jerk."

Kim had other choice nicknames for him, but decided not to use them. Even though the baby was still in utero, she did not want to get in the habit of calling Adam names in front of the baby. Kim closed her eyes and leaned against the couch cushions, trying to get comfortable. She felt the need to pee again, but she wasn't about to get up. Her feet ached too badly to walk back to the bathroom.

Taking deep breaths, trying to ignore the hunger pains that shot through her, Kim tried to remember all of the good things that Adam had done throughout her pregnancy. He had been attentive, helping out more around the house than usual and assisting her with whatever she needed. He had suffered through creating a baby registry and had assembled every piece of baby furniture they bought without question. He even had agreed to take a few weeks of paternity leave so that Kim could go back to work earlier. He knew she missed doing her job and he wanted her to be able to go back to it as soon as possible. All in all, he had been a perfect husband. That wasn't helping Kim's current hunger problem, though.

Twenty minutes later, Adam walked through the door, a bag from the sandwich shop down the street in his hands. He was about to shout that he was home when he saw Kim on the couch. She had clearly fallen asleep. He smiled, looking at his wife's pregnant belly. She thought she looked like a whale, but he had never seen anyone or anything more beautiful. He had loved watching her stomach grow even if she didn't. The fact that she was carrying their child was enough for Adam to know he would love her for the rest of his life.

Adam put the food in the kitchen, tossed his jacket on the recliner, and then tiptoed over to the couch. He kissed Kim lightly on the cheek and pulled the blanket off the back of the couch to drape over her body. He placed his hand gently on her belly, able to feel the baby squirming inside of her. Feeling his own child brought a tear to his eye. With both of their demanding jobs, he never knew if they would get to the point they were now. During their ten years of marriage, there never seemed to be a good time to have a baby. Perhaps it was just because Kim felt her biological clock ticking or because they had both accomplished what they wanted to accomplish in their careers, but they finally decided it was time to make it happen. Less than a year after they made their decision, Kim was ready to give birth very soon.

As Adam took his hand off Kim's stomach, he felt her stir. She opened her eyes. He smiled at her, but did not receive a smile back.

"Finally!" She exclaimed. Kim sat up as quickly as she could. She woke up hungrier than when she fell asleep.

"Woah, woah, take it easy."

"I'm pregnant, not an invalid," she retorted. "What did you get for dinner?"

"I got you a veggie sandwich."

"I can't eat…"

"I told them no condiments. Just grilled zucchini, cheese, lettuce, and tomato on wheat bread."

Kim attempted to stand up, but it was just too difficult. Adam rushed over to where he had put down the food. He brought it back to the couch along with a bottle of water and a napkin.

"I'm not that fat," she said.

"What?"

"I could get up if I wanted to."

"I know you could," Adam insisted. "I just thought this was easier."

Kim unwrapped her sandwich. It was a small, six-inch sub.

"Could you have chosen something healthier?" She asked, sarcasm dripping from every word.

Adam was confused. He knew what Kim liked to eat. She always ordered the same thing from the sandwich shop and it was always a veggie sandwich. Adam used to rag on her that she was boring, but it was what she liked. He had no idea what was wrong with what he brought her.

"I thought you'd like a sandwich."

"Chinese would have been nice. Or Italian. Pizza maybe. But no, you bring me the healthiest thing you could possibly find. I'm pregnant, Adam, not overweight. I don't need to be on a diet right now."

"I know you don't, babe. Where is this coming from? You love veggie sandwiches. Besides, the sandwich place is on the way home."

"Which wouldn't have been an issue if you came home when you said you'd come home! You could have gone anywhere in Chicago and made it back to your pregnant, starving wife!"

"Babe, I don't…"

Kim took a large bite of the sandwich. Within seconds, though, she spit it out.

"They put mayo on it!" She cried. "You know condiments make me sick!"

"I'm sorry. I told them no mayo. I'll go back and get you another one."

"Don't bother."

Kim rocked herself back and forth and managed to stand up. She went to the front closet and took out her coat.

"What are you doing?"

"Going to get my own dinner since obviously my husband can't handle bringing anything home."

Adam rushed over beside her. She was having difficulty putting on her coat. Instead of helping her into it, though, he took the coat away from her.

"I'll get you what you want. Chinese? Pizza? Name it and it's yours."

"How do I know you won't go to Molly's to hang out with your friends?"

"Is that what this is about?" He asked. "You're pissed because I went to Molly's. I texted you to ask if it was ok if I go. You never texted back so I assumed you didn't care."

"You never texted me," she stated.

"Yes, I did."

"No you didn't," she argued.

Adam pulled his phone out of his pocket. He showed Kim the message he sent. He was right. There was a message to her about Molly's. Kim grabbed her phone and looked at it. Obviously the message had never gone through.

"Could you please sit down so we can talk?" Adam suggested.

Kim sighed. "I'm sorry."

She allowed Adam to take her coat and hang it back up in the closet. He held her hand and led her back to the couch. They sat down together. He stroke her hair.

"It's ok."

"It's not," she said. "I'm just…I'm so…hangry."

Adam laughed. "Did you just say hangry?"

"It's the best word to describe my feelings right now," Kim replied. "I'm hungry and angry. There's no food in the house. I haven't eaten since lunch and that was only a salad. And I had such a long day. I had to catalog and box evidence and walk up and down those damn stairs to storage and…"

"You shouldn't be doing that. You should be at the desk like we talked about. I know you don't like it, but…"

"I know, but Hodges was out today and he's usually the one who does all of the walking and…God, I never knew there were so many stairs."

"You shouldn't be carrying boxes at all, you know that."

"I made sure they weren't that heavy."

"It doesn't matter. Next time, tell Platt, ok? You know she wouldn't want you lugging all of those boxes. She'll assign somebody else to help you."

"I just hate feeling helpless."

"You're not helpless," Adam assured her, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. "You're pregnant. There's a big difference."

She nodded. "It sucks that you can still work out on the streets and then go out and drink and have fun and I'm stuck here. Alone."

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I shouldn't have gone out."

"I'm the one who's sorry. I freaked out for no reason. It's only 6:30. Normally we wouldn't even be home by now."

"I guess that's part of being a parent. Early nights. We should start getting used to it now."

"Yeah. I just…I feel hungry all of the time. This little one is taking a lot out of me."

"Well, pretty soon that little one is going to be in our arms," Adam said.

"Yeah."

Adam rubbed her stomach. "Alright, how about I go out and get you whatever you want." He stood up and went to get his jacket. "You want crepes from that French place downtown or pizza from the Italian place?"

"Chocolate chip pancakes."

"What?"  
"I want chocolate chip pancakes," she stated, licking her lips.

"Ok. I'll have to run to the store and get the ingredients, but…"

Kim gasped. "I don't think you'll have time for that."

"Why not? Give me ten minutes. I'll just go to that little market down the street. I'll have them cooking in no time."

"Also, we might need to get a new couch."

"What are you talking about?"  
"My water broke."

"What?"

"My water broke," she repeated.

Adam could feel his adrenaline pumping.

"Are you sure?"

Kim nodded. "Pretty sure."

"Ok," he replied.  
"Ok."  
"We're going to have a baby."

Adam raced over to her and hugged her.

"Adam?"

"Yeah?"

"Unless you want to have this baby right here on this couch, I suggest you get the keys and our overnight bag."  
"Right. Of course."

Adam ran towards the bedroom to get the bag they had already prepared.

"And Adam?"

"Yeah?"

"We're stopping for pizza on the way."

Adam smiled. "As you wish."

Author's Note: I realize "hangry" is not even a real word, but it amuses me when I heard people saying it and I just felt the urge to write about it. I'm heading off on vacation so this will be my last update for a little while. I promise to post when I return!


	8. Chapter 8 - Disappointment

**Chapter 8 - Disappointment**

Disappointment was a familiar feeling. It was hard not to live with disappointment when you had a job that had unpredictable hours. Not knowing when you would be working made it difficult to not only keep unimportant things like appointments, but also important things like promises. Adam knew Kim would be disappointed when he told her the news, but he was just as disappointed. He had been looking forward to their time together. It was just unfortunate that Intelligence was in the middle of a case that he just couldn't get away from.

Adam jogged down the steps from Intelligence. He was hoping to catch Kim before she left for the day. He spotted her at the main desk, signing something for Platt. She had changed out of her uniform and was in a pair of Jeans and a black T-shirt. Adam loved her casual look.

"Hey," he said, striding over to her.

She smiled when she saw him. "Hey yourself."

He reached up and tucked a stray piece of hair that had slipped from her ponytail behind her ear.

"You two make me sick," Platt commented, rolling her eyes. She grabbed whatever form Kim had been signing and turned her back to file it away.

"Can I talk to you?" Adam asked, ignoring Platt.

"Sure."  
Taking her hand, Adam led her to the locker room. They went to the back of the room, away from any prying eyes or ears.

"So, Intelligence just got asked to help out with those murdered truck drivers," Adam explained.

"I heard. Roman said he heard a rumor that it could be a serial killer."

"That's what it looks like. Intelligence is working with several homicide units across six states."

"Crazy case."

"Yeah." Adam took a deep breath. "Listen…I'm not going to be able to go away this weekend."

"What?"

"I'm sorry," he apologized, knowing it wasn't enough. He put his hand out to put it on her shoulder, but she backed away from him. She was clearly angry.  
"Adam, we've been planning this for months. We both got approved for the time off. Voight signed the paper himself!"

"I know. But this is a big case, babe," Adam explained. "Voight wants all hands on deck."

"We put down a nonrefundable deposit, Adam. We have a hotel on the beach waiting for us. We have dinner reservations and activities planned. Hell, we leave tomorrow!"

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Did you even ask Voight if you could still go?" She asked.

"Yeah."  
"And he forbade you from going?"

"Not in so many words."

"Adam…" Kim began.

"He didn't say I couldn't go, Kim, but he made it seem like he would be disappointed if I did. You know how Voight can be. Besides, this case is important. Who knows how many more people this guy could kill."

Kim sighed. "I know it is."

He reached out and held her hand. She didn't pull away from him.

"I'm just trying to do the right thing," Adam added.

They let silence linger in the air for a few moments. Adam didn't know what else to say. He knew nothing could take away her disappointment, or his.

"In all the time, we've been…an item," Kim began, breaking their silence. "We haven't spent more than ten hours alone together, not counting sleeping. You realize that, right?"

"I know we don't always get to spend as much time together as we'd like, but…" Adam started.

"This was supposed to be our first vacation together," Kim reminded him.

They had been dating for a few months. They had both decided that it was about time they spend some time together outside of Chicago.

"I know," he repeated. The more she talked, the worse he felt. Adam knew Voight couldn't actually stop him from going, but he also knew he needed to be there for his team. Unfortunately that meant sacrificing time alone with Kim, which didn't make him happy.

"This sucks," Kim muttered.

"I'll make it up to you, I promise."

Adam put his arms around her waist and pulled her closer.

"You better," she muttered. "I was looking forward to white sand and warm water. I even bought a new bikini."

"Are you trying to make me feel worse?" Adam replied, imagining Kim in a bikini. The mental picture was tantalizing.

"Maybe."

"I'm sorry," he said. "I really am."

"I know. And I get it. Why you need to stay. I get it."

He smiled. "Thank you. Look, why don't you…why don't you go anyway?"  
"What?"  
"You could take Lauren," Adam suggested.

"My sister?"

"Yeah."

"You want me to take my sister on our romantic vacation?" She asked.

"Why not?"

"Because it's our vacation, Adam," Kim said. "Besides, my sister has a job. Not to mention Zoe."  
"Well, it's not our vacation anymore and I'm pretty sure your brother-in-law is more than capable of taking care of Zoe. You could make it into a girl's weekend. After all, it's basically paid for. Don't let it go to waste."

Kim began to think about going on vacation with her sister. It had been a long time since the two of them had spent any quality time together. Even though she would have preferred to go with Adam, going with her sister did sound appealing.

"Ok, I'll ask her."

Adam smiled. His phone buzzed in his pocket. He looked down at it. "It's Voight. He wants us all upstairs. I gotta go."

"Be careful," Kim said.

"Maybe before you leave, you can model that bikini for me."

"Come over at a decent hour tonight and maybe I will."

Adam leaned in, kissed her quickly, and walked away. Kim was left staring at the empty locker room, disappointed.

24 Hours Later

Kim was sitting on a stool at a tall, high-top table, staring at her cell phone. She was hoping she would have heard from Adam. She hadn't spoken to him since she left Chicago that morning. They shared a quick kiss goodbye in the morning before Kim headed off for her flight and Adam went to work. She was hoping that no communication from him could only mean good things. If he had been hurt, or something worse, someone would have contacted her. She figured he was just busy with the case.

"Here you go," Lauren said, walking over to the table. She put two martini glasses down on the table and hopped up onto a stool next to Kim.

"Thanks," Kim replied.

They were at a beach-themed club. A DJ was playing music in one corner with people dancing on the dance floor. Kim didn't feel like dancing, though. She had dressed up in a sexy, black, strapless dress, but only because Lauren made her. Kim would have been happy staying at the hotel in her pajamas or just spending the night on the beach. She wasn't interested in going out without Adam. Lauren insisted, though, that they make the most of their impromptu girls' weekend. It had been a while since Lauren had a few days away from her husband and daughter. She wanted to live it up as much as possible.

"Heard from Adam?" Lauren asked.

Kim shook her head. "Not yet."

"I'm sure he's fine."

"Yeah."  
"Look, I know you'd rather be here with him than me, but…"

"No I'm having fun," Kim insisted. "I'm happy to be here with you."

"But…" Lauren prompted.

"But it sucks that Adam and I never get to spend any time together. One of us is always working."

"Yeah, that's tough."

"Sometimes I just…" Kim trailed off.

"What?"

"Sometimes I wonder if he wants to spend time with me."

"What are you talking about?" Lauren asked. "He's crazy about you."  
"I know. I mean, I think I know. Sometimes I think he likes our relationship the way it is. Sometimes I think he's happy only spending a few hours here and there together."

"Don't you stay at his place practically every night?" Lauren questioned.

"Usually. But most of the time we're sleeping or…"

"Having sex," Lauren filled in. "While we're on the topic, how is the sex?"

"It's great," Kim answered. "It's amazing. I don't think either of us have any complaints in that department."

"See, this is why we need more sister time together."

"To talk about sex?" Kim wondered.

"Well, it's not like we can talk about it in front of Zoe."

"I think I was using this weekend to test him," Kim explained. "Test us. Maybe him not coming was the test."

"Have you two said the magic L word yet?" Lauren asked.

"What are we? In middle school?"  
"Fine. Have you told each other 'I love you' yet?"

"Not yet," Kim said.

"Do you love him?"

Kim didn't immediately respond. She knew how she felt. She just hadn't ever said it out loud.

"Yes. I do love him."

"Then tell him. It's unfair of you to give him a test when he doesn't even know it's a test. Tell him how you feel."

"And if he doesn't say it back?"

"Then you can blame me," Lauren said. Kim smiled. "But I think he might surprise you."

"Well, it'll be better than being disappointed."

"Come on, let's not spend our entire sister weekend talking about men. Let's dance."  
"I don't think I'm up for dancing."

"Too bad."

Lauren grabbed Kim's hand, pulling her off the stool. Kim took one last look at her cell phone before following her sister to the dance floor. She wasn't going to let Adam stand in her way of having a good time.

The next morning

Kim was walking down the beach, kicking her feet through the water as the tide came in. She had her flip flops in one hand and was using the other hand to hold up her sun dress to keep it dry. She was enjoying the warm sun and the calmness of the ocean. There were other beach goers around, but for the most part she ignored them. She was happy to be spending some time alone.

After some dancing and a few more drinks the night before, Kim and her sister had called it a night. Kim was happy that by the time they got back to their hotel room, Adam had sent her a message. He had finally gotten home after a long day. He told her he missed her and he hoped she was having fun.

As she walked, Kim thought about the conversation she had with her sister. She was going to follow her sister's advice. When she got back to Chicago, she was going to tell Adam how she felt. She didn't want to hide anymore, no matter what the consequences. If he didn't feel the same way, she was prepared to walk away. She wanted more than just a few hours spent together here and there. And even though the sex was fantastic, she wanted more than just late nights together. She hoped Adam felt the same way.

Kim's cell phone rang. She took a few steps away from the ocean, further up onto the beach and dropped her flip flops onto the sand. Kim pulled out her phone. She smiled when she saw it was Adam calling.

"Hey," she said happily.

"Hey yourself."

"How are you?"

"Good," Adam answered. "How are you?"

"Missing you," she answered.

"Same here."

"How's the case?"

"We think we might have caught our guy," Adam told her.

"That's great."

"Yeah. So, how is our romantic vacation? Everything you dreamed it would be?"

"It would be better if you were here," Kim said. "But Lauren and I are having fun."

"I'm glad to hear it. What are you doing right now?"

"Just walking on the beach. It's an amazing view. You'd love it."

"Yeah, I'd have to agree with you. It is beautiful."

"What did you say?" Kim asked, confused. It sounded like Adam knew exactly what she was talking about. "I think you're cutting out."

"Turn around," Adam said.

Kim whirled around. Adam was standing several feet behind her in a pair of board shorts and nothing else. Her eyes widened. They both put down their cell phones.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, shocked. She ran towards him. His arms opened to accept her embrace. She kissed him as she ran her hands down his naked chest. She had never felt happier.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I was a little disappointed that we wouldn't get to spend our very first romantic vacation together," Adam said when their kiss ended. "So, I talked to Voight and got on a plane this morning."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

He shrugged. "I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Did Lauren know?"

"I called her last night, but don't be too hard on her. I asked her to keep it a secret."

"I'm just glad you're here."

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him again.

"Me too. Although I have to say, I'm a little disappointed that you're not that little bikini I've heard so much about."

"Well, I wouldn't want to disappoint you."  
Kim placed her cell phone down on one of her flip flops. She stepped back from Adam and pulled her sundress over her head, dropping it on the sand. She was left standing in a coral-colored two piece. Adam licked his lips. He dropped his cell phone, not caring where it landed. He took a running start towards her and scooped her up in his arm, practically throwing her over his shoulder. She squealed in delight. Adam ran into the ocean, dropping her among the waves. They splashed and played around. Eventually Adam grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him. She looped her arms around his neck and straddled his waist with her legs. He held onto her, their foreheads pressed against each others.

"You're beautiful, you know that," Adam said, pushing wet hair away from her face.

She smiled. Her thoughts turned to what she and Lauren had discussed. It was the perfect moment to tell him how she really felt.

"There's something I want to tell you," Kim said. "Something I need to tell you. I…"

"I love you," Adam interrupted.

"What?" Kim asked, stunned.

"I said I love you."

"But…but that's what I was going to say."

"Then I guess I beat you to it."

"You just wanted to be the one to say it first," she pointed out.

"Maybe. But it's true. I love you, Kim."

"I love you, too."

She kissed him hard, pushing them both back into the water.

Author's Note: After spending my vacation in sunny Florida, I just had to write a fun, warm-weather story. Thanks for reading and keep those suggestions coming! There's much more to come!


	9. Chapter 9 - Overwhelmed

**Chapter 9 - Overwhelmed**

Overwhelmed. That was the only word Kim could use to describe how she felt 99% of the time. With two kids under the age of five, a demanding job, and a husband, she never felt on top of things. She couldn't remember the last time she was actually on time for week. She couldn't remember the last time she and Adam had spent more than five minutes alone together. She could barely remember to do laundry so her son had clean socks before he went to preschool. Robert, named after Adam's dad, was four years old. Isabelle, their daughter, had just had her first birthday.

Although she loved her children and wouldn't trade her life for anything in the world, Kim was often left feeling like she wasn't doing enough. It wasn't always easy to make it out of the house with both kids dressed and fed and then drop them off at daycare and preschool before Kim put in a ten hour shift out on patrol. Of course she wasn't alone. Adam was an amazing husband and even better father. He wasn't the kind of man who shied away from dirty diapers or bath time or bedtime responsibilities. The problem was, he wasn't always around. The Intelligence unit was busy as ever and his schedule was unpredictable at best. As long as he came home safe and sound at the end of his shift, Kim didn't care how busy he was.

Kim quickly hopped in and out of the shower. She didn't even bother washing her hair. There wasn't time. As she rushed into hers and Adam's bedroom with her hair up in a towel and a pink, fuzzy bathrobe on, Kim heard Isabelle beginning to cry through the monitor that was on her bedside table. Kim whimpered. She was hoping she would at least be able to get dressed for work before Isabelle starting fussing. Adam's eyes popped open.

"I'll get her," he said sleepily.

"It's ok, I'm already up," Kim replied.

"If you insist," Adam mumbled, rolling over.

She went into the next room where Isabelle was lying in her crib, her eyes beginning to fill with tears. Kim scooped her up.

"Good morning, sweetie," Kim cooed. She carried Isabelle over to the changing table and changed her diaper. Thankfully Isabelle didn't put up a fuss. Kim blew raspberries on her stomach and Isabelle giggled. As she dressed her in an adorable little sundress, Adam approached her.

"How's our girl this morning?" He asked.

"Changed, dressed, and ready to take on the world," Kim answered with a smile.

"Here, I'll take her."

Adam picked her up off the changing table and held her up so their faces were even with each other. He began making funny faces, causing Isabelle to laugh uncontrollably. Kim couldn't help but smile seeing her husband and her daughter interact together.

"Is Robert up yet?" She asked.

"I haven't heard him."

"Good. It'll give me time to…"  
Before she could finish, she was interrupted by Robert walking into the room. He was rubbing his eyes.

"Mommy, my bed is wet," he said.

Kim rolled her eyes. She knelt down in front of him. She could clearly see a wet spot on the front of his pajama bottoms. He had wet his bed. It wasn't the first time he had an accident and it probably wouldn't be his last.

"It's ok, sweetheart. I'll take care of it."

Kim took him by the hand and let him back to his bedroom. _So much for an easy morning_ , she thought. She quickly helped him out of his clothes.

"Hey, babe," Adam said, walking in with Isabelle still in his arms. "Voight just called. I gotta go in."

"What…now?"

"Yeah. New case. Sorry."

"I've got to give him a bath. Could you get Isabelle some breakfast and then take her to day care on your way?"

"Voight said it was urgent." Adam held Isabelle out, expecting Kim to take her. She sighed and scooped up her daughter. "Thanks, babe. I'll call you later."

"Will you be home for dinner?" She asked.

"I'll let you know."

"Ok."

"I love you," he said as he walked out the door. Kim didn't even have the chance to say it back. She looked down at her daughter and then over at her son, who was still naked, waiting to be given a bath. There was no way she was going to make it to work on time.

Fourteen hours later, Kim was rocking Isabelle to sleep when Adam popped his head in the room. She hadn't seen him all day. Aside from a quick text message earlier in the day, they hadn't even communicated. But that was how most days went. Unless Voight requested Burgess' help with a case, she and Adam barely saw each other. Adam walked over to where Kim was sitting and kissed the baby on the head.

"She asleep?" Adam asked, knowing that if they put her in her crib when she wasn't in a deep sleep, she would wake up again instantly.

"Yeah," Kim answered.

She slowly stood up and walked over to the crib. After giving Isabelle a kiss goodnight, Kim placed her gently in her crib. Making sure the monitor in the room was on, Kim and Adam walked out together.

"Did Robert give you any trouble going to sleep?" Adam asked.

"Just the usual. He didn't want to put on his pajamas and he didn't want to brush his teeth. Then, when I finally convinced him to do both of those things, he refused to settle for anything less than five stories. He's impossible sometimes."

"He's just stubborn like his mother."

"Ha ha."

Adam flopped down on the couch in the living room while Kim busied herself in the kitchen. There was leftover food to put away, pans to scrub, crumbs on the floor, and a never-ending amount of dishes to be done.

"Need help?" Adam asked.

"No, I'm fine." Kim began dishing the leftover food from dinner into plastic containers. "How was your day?"

"Turns out the missing VIP we were looking for, wasn't missing at all."

"What happened?"

"He was bunking with an old girlfriend. Took us all day to figure it out. It was a waste. How was your day?"

"You mean, besides being late this morning because I had to give Robert a bath? It was the same as usual. Roman and I didn't even make any arrests today."

"Did Platt give you a hard time for being late?" Adam asked.

"No. I think she's used to it now."

"Hey, did you ask your sister if she could watch the kids Friday?"

Kim sighed. "I totally forgot."

"Remember we've got that dinner. Everyone in Intelligence is expected to attend."

"I know. I'll text her," Kim replied, somewhat frustrated at herself. She knew she was supposed to text her sister weeks ago. She just kept forgetting.

"Why don't you leave the dishes and come sit with me? It's been forever since we've had any time together."

"I just want to finish cleaning so I don't have to do it in the morning."

Adam stood up and joined her in the kitchen. "Let me help you."  
He grabbed a broom from the closet and began sweeping up the mess on the floor. It was amazing how two kids could cause such a disaster in the kitchen. Kim began putting away clean dishes from the day before. She picked up a glass and turned to put it away where it belonged. The end of the broom Adam was using nudged her arm and she dropped the glass. It shattered against the tile.

"Damn it!" She shouted. She immediately bit her tongue, hoping she hadn't been loud enough to wake the kids.

"It's ok," Adam said, beginning to sweep up the mess.

With her bare feet, Kim attempted to step over the broken glass. She bit her lip when she felt a cut on the bottom of her foot.

"For God's sake," she muttered. She leaned against the counter and looked at the bottom of her foot. Blood was oozing from a small cut right near her toes.

"Are you ok?" He asked.

"I'm fine."

"Why don't you go sit and take care of that? I'll clean this up."

"I can do it," Kim insisted.

Adam put his hand on her shoulder. "It's ok. I got it."

"Thanks."

Kim hobbled across the kitchen, being sure to bypass any pieces of glass. She went into the bathroom and grabbed the first aid kit. After putting the toilet lid down, she sat down on the toilet and then propped her foot up on the edge of the bathtub. She began to clean the blood of her foot and then treated it with an antiseptic.

"Think we need to amputate?" Adam joked as he joined her in the bathroom.

"I think I'll live."

"Glad to hear it. Let me take a look."

Adam sat on the edge of the bathtub. He picked her foot up gently and placed it in his lap. He looked at the bottom of her foot. The cut wasn't deep. She wouldn't need stitches. He grabbed a bandage from the first aid kit and pressed it against her foot. He taped it down with medical tape.

"Thanks," she said.

Adam placed a small kiss on the top of her foot.

"About Friday, if your sister can't watch the kids, I can always ask…"

"I said I'd ask her," Kim said, pulling her foot from Adam's lap.

"I know. I'm just saying, if she can't do it, I can ask my dad."  
"I'll take care of it," she snapped.

Kim stood up. She hissed as she put weight on her injured foot. She hobbled back into the kitchen, continuing to put dishes away.

"Hey, why don't you sit down and relax?" Adam suggested, following her into the kitchen.

"I don't have time to relax."

"Kim…"

He put his hand on her arm.

"You don't get it!" She shouted.

"What? What don't I get?"

"What it's like. I can't be the perfect mother and perfect housekeeper and perfect wife and perfect cop. I can't…"

"Nobody expects you to be perfect," Adam interrupted.

A tear rolled down her cheek. Adam wiped it away with his thumb. He cupped her cheek with his hand.

"I'm just so…overwhelmed," she said, her lip trembling.

"Oh, baby."

Adam took her hand and let her to the living room. They sat down on the couch, facing each other. She pressed her face into his chest and let her tears fall.

"I'm sorry," she said a few moments later.

"You don't have to be sorry. But you do have to talk to me, Kim. You can't let all of this build up. You gotta let me help you."  
"I know. I feel like I've let you down," Kim whispered.

"What are you talking about?"

"I do so much for the kids and I put so much into being a good cop that I feel like you get what's leftover. And sometimes I don't think that's enough."  
Adam pulled her into his arms. "Oh, babe, it's always enough. I love you."

"I know. But can you remember the last time we did something with just the two of us? Can you remember the last time we spent any significant time together? Hell, the last time we even tried to have sex, I fell asleep. I fell asleep, Adam!"

"It's ok."

Kim sat up again. "It's not. I try to do everything and I can't seem to do anything right."

Adam tilted her chin so she was looking at him. "You are an amazing mother and an incredible wife and one of the best cops I've ever met. You are doing everything perfectly. I couldn't ask for anyone better in my life. You and Robert and Isabelle are my whole world. I love you just the way you are."

"Really?"

"Really," he said. "What do you say we get my dad to watch them next weekend and we take some time for ourselves? Forget the dirty dishes and work and everything else. Just you and me."

"I like the sound of that."

Kim moved forward and kissed him. It started light, but as his arms snaked around her and he laid back so she was on top of him, their kiss grew. They were both interrupted by the sound of crying from the monitor. Kim groaned.

"I'll get her," Adam offered.

Kim climbed off of him and sat back at the other end of the house. Her lips were swollen from his kisses, her cheeks flushed.

"Thanks," she said.

"You stay just like that. We're going to finish what we started."

Adam headed off to Isabelle's room. Kim could hear Adam soothing Isabelle through the monitor. She smiled, hearing Adam sing a lullaby to their daughter. Kim closed her eyes, listening to his song.

A few minutes later, with Isabelle finally back to sleep, Adam made his way back into the living room. As soon as he Kim, he smiled. She was fast asleep on the couch. He didn't have the heart to wake her, even to finish what they had started. Adam took a blanket off the back of the couch and draped it over her. He kissed her on the forehead before settling in beside her.

Author's Note: I want to dedicate this chapter to my sister. This week she lost a close friend after a long battle with cancer. It's been a tough week for her and our entire family. But, through it all she has been the perfect mother, sister, and friend (even if she doesn't always see it that way). Although she will probably never read this, I hope she knows how much I love her! Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10 - Hot

**Chapter 10 - Hot**

Hot. That was the only word that came to Adam's mind and it had nothing to do with the fact that the temperature was approaching one hundred degrees. Adam was staring at Kim. She had just walked out of a swanky house towards the in-ground pool in the back. Adam was sitting on one of the lounge chairs around the pool wearing a pair of checkered swim trunks and a loose shirt that was only buttoned up halfway. Halstead was on one side of him and Atwater was on the other, both of them doing exactly what Adam was doing – blending in. Adam, however, wasn't concerned with blending in at the moment. He was concerned with the gorgeous, sexy brunette walking towards the pool. She had on a sheer white cover -up dress over a black bikini. The bottoms were the tiniest piece of fabric Adam had ever seen. He slid the sunglasses he was wearing down his nose so he could get a better look at her. She flirtatiously smiled at a group of guys sitting on the edge of the pool who had their feet dipped in the cool water. They smiled back, clearly interested in her. Kim grabbed a fruity, cold beverage from the outdoor tiki bar before stopping beside an empty chair. She pulled the cover-up she was wearing off her body, leaving her in just her bikini. It was the least amount of clothes Adam had ever seen her in. His heart was hammering in his chest, his body responding to seeing hers. He unconsciously unbuttoned the rest of his shirt.

"Keep it in your pants," Halstead mumbled.

Adam tore his gaze away from Kim as she settled on the lounge chair, sipping on her drink.

"What?" Adam sputtered.

"I see you looking at Burgess."  
"I am not," Adam responded, quickly pushing his sunglasses back up where they belonged. He started to look around again, trying to concentrate on what they were there to do.

"Can't blame ya," Atwater jumped in. "She's looking fine. Who knew all of that was underneath that police uniform."

"Shut up," Adam said.

"Do I need to remind you that Burgess is a fellow police officer, not a piece of meat? Women shouldn't be objectified for their bodies," Halstead commented.

Both Adam and Atwater looked over at him, giving him a strange look.

"We're just playing around, man," Atwater said.

"And since when did you start sounding like a feminist?" Adam asked.

"I am a feminist," Halstead stated.

"Yeah, well, that doesn't mean you can't appreciate a beautiful woman when you see one," Atwater replied.

"Cheers to that," Adam said, lifting up his beer. He took a small sip. He knew he couldn't drink much. They were on the job, after all.

Adam looked around the pool area. There were a few dozen women scantily clad in every kind of skimpy bathing suit imaginable around the pool. There were even more men around ogling them. Adam couldn't help but look at Kim. She had her head back, obviously pretending to be resting. Adam knew, however, that that was the opposite of what she was doing. She was observing, just like he was.

Intelligence had been tipped off that there were tainted drugs being distributed out of the particular mansion they were at. The owner was some kind of young computer whiz named Charlie Young who sold his start-up company to Apple for some ridiculous price. Since then, the twenty-something year old had built a mansion in the middle of Chicago complete with a rooftop pool. Several people linked to being at his parties had turned up dead all over Chicago. They all died of drug overdoses due to the drugs being tainted. The only connection all the victims had was being at Young's parties. The problem was, Young had enough money to hire enough security and lawyers to keep the police away. They had no concrete evidence so they couldn't get a warrant, which meant they had no access to his property. That was until Mouse managed to get them invited to one of Young's infamous parties. Halstead, Atwater, and Ruzek were tasked with observing and reporting back any suspicious activities. Burgess was in charge of trying to get a word in with Young even though he was nearly impossible to get to, even at his own parties. There was a rumor, however, that if a woman caught his interest, he would invite them to a private party in his house. That's what they were hoping for.

Kim grabbed a bottle of sun block. She squirted a little on the tips of her fingers and began working the lotion onto her arms. Adam couldn't help but stare. Watching her put on lotion had to be the sexiest thing he had ever seen. Adam knew he wasn't supposed to have any contact with Kim at the party. The rouse was that she was there alone. If he went over to her, he could blow the whole thing. He couldn't help but want to get his hands on her, though. He pictured himself rubbing the lotion along her back, learning every inch of her skin.

Adam had felt a connection to Kim since he had met her. Even though he was engaged when they first met, he couldn't deny his attraction to her. Having her working alongside Intelligence so many times only increased his attraction. He learned she was smart, funny, beautiful, and a damn good cop. She was everything Adam could ever ask for in a woman. He tried to tell himself that that wasn't why he and Wendy broke up. He tried to tell himself that it was his job and the long hours, but he knew better. Even if Wendy had been the one to break up with him officially, he knew he would have had to have done it eventually. He wasn't in love with her. It wouldn't have been fair to start a life with her when all he could think of was Kim.

Having been separated from Wendy for well over a month, Adam had thought about asking Kim out dozens of times. The problem was, they were such good friends and colleagues, he didn't want to ruin that. Plus he knew Kim had her eye on joining Intelligence and Voight had a very strict relationship policy.

"I think we have contact," Atwater said, pulling Adam from his thoughts.

"Looks like Burgess might have caught Young's attention," Halstead added.

"I can see why," Atwater mumbled.

There was what appeared to be a security guard standing beside Kim's lounge chair. The man said something to her that Adam didn't hear. Then he offered her his hand. Kim stood up. As she went to put her cover up back on, the man stopped her. She left the cover up as well as her fruity beverage behind. The man put his hand on her lower back and led her around the pool towards the house.

Adam stood up as she walked by. He pulled off his sunglasses and locked eyes with her. Suddenly his heart was thumping for a different reason. She was going off to meet with a man they knew very little about and it scared the hell out of him. She had no weapon and basically no backup. Anything could happen. He nodded to her, telling her silently that he wasn't going to let anything happen to her. She smiled back, telling him that she understood. He loved that they had unspoken communication.

Kim disappeared inside the house with the security guard. Adam got up, ready to follow her.

"What are you doing?" Halstead asked.

"I'm not letting her go in there without backup," Adam answered.

"We don't want to blow our cover. She's just there to talk to him, that's all. He has no history of violence," Halstead explained.

"Besides, Burgess can take care of herself," Atwater added.

"Well, I'm not just going to sit here," Adam said.

He headed in the direction of the house, buttoning up his shirt as he went. A cute blonde in a short, polka-dot dress approached him, obviously flirting. Adam sidestepped her, making his way into the house. The minute he stepped inside, he was stopped by the security guard.

"There's no admittance into the house," the man said in a gruff voice. He was about six inches taller than Adam and had at least fifty pounds on him. His arms were so muscular they were probably bigger than Adam's legs.

"I just have to use the bathroom," Adam said.

"Guests use the pool bathrooms," the man explained.

Adam was about to turn around when he heard a crash. When the security guard turned to look at what was going on, Adam ducked past him. He rushed towards the sound, not even thinking of going back for Halstead and Atwater. All he cared about was getting to Kim. The security guard shouted at him, but Adam kept moving. He heard a shout and then another loud bang. Adam rounded a corner, finding himself standing in front of a large room decorated all in white. Kim was standing in her bikini with Charlie Young bent over in front of her, his faced pushed against a desk. The contents of the desk were all over the floor. Kim had his hands behind her back. She had him restrained. For a split second, Adam's mouth went dry and his brain went into overdrive at the sight of her in her current predicament. Her hotness reached another level.

"You are so hot," Adam said without even realizing what he was saying.

Kim turned to look at him. She looked at him strangely and he realized for the first time exactly what he had said.

"He was getting handsy," Kim replied, explaining why she had him restrained.

"Well, who wouldn't?" Young quipped.

Kim applied more pressure to his wrists. He hissed in pain.

"You ok?" Adam asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Do you have your handcuffs?"  
"Ah…yeah."

Adam felt around in the pockets of his board shorts. He took out a pair of handcuffs. Kim did the honors of cuffing him.

"You know, this is really sexy," Young said. "We could easily turn this into a threesome."  
"Shut up," Adam scowled.

"I think we should call Voight," Kim decided. "Our cover's blown. He's not going to be very happy about that."

"Look, sexy, if I knew cops looked like you, I'd have gotten myself arrested a long time ago," Young responded.

"Shut up!" Kim and Adam said together.

"He's awfully protective over you," Young pointed out. "I think he likes you."

Adam caught Kim's eye quickly. He thought he saw a blush spread across her cheeks. Halstead and Atwater burst in and they tore their eyes away from each other. Kim let Halstead and Atwater take control of Young, leaving her and Adam alone in the room.

"You sure you're ok?" Adam asked.

"Yeah. The minute he put his hands on me, I was able to restrain him. Clearly he needs some lessons on self-defense."

"Look, I just want you to know that…"

Adam was interrupted when Atwater walked back in the room. He was holding a duffle bag. Adam recognized it as Kim's bag.

"Thanks," she said.

"No problem. I talked to Voight. The entire precinct has lost power."

"What?" Adam said.

"Half of Chicago is out. You know how the summer can be. Everyone's using too much power. Not much we can do. They're gonna bring Young to another department on the other side of the city. Narcotics will question him there."

"So…that's it?" Adam asked.

"For now," Atwater answered. "Voight's giving us the rest of the afternoon off."

"Thanks."

"Yeah. Halstead and I are going to bring him across town. You guys ok?"

"We'll be fine," Adam insisted.

"Good work today, Burgess," Atwater said.

"Thanks."  
Atwater left, once again leaving Adam and Kim alone. Kim dropped her duffle bag on a nearby couch. She quickly pulled out a tanktop and a pair of cut-off Jean shorts. Realizing for the first time just how little she had on, she slipped the clothes on. Adam couldn't help but be a little disappointed.

"Want to grab a drink at Molly's?" Adam asked.

"If the electricity is off in half the city, Molly's is probably out. It's on the same grid as the precinct."  
"Right."

"Which means my apartment is also probably out," Kim continued. "There's nothing like living on the third floor on a one-hundred degree day with no air conditioning."

"Well, I live on the other side of the city. Different power grid. I've got central air and cold beer in the fridge. You're welcome to come over."  
"Really?" She asked.

"Yeah."  
As soon as he said it, Adam realized that it was the first time Kim would ever see his apartment. It felt like a big step in their relationship.

"Sure, thanks."

Kim swung her duffle bag onto her shoulder. She walked out of the room ahead of Adam. He couldn't help but stare at her ass as she walked.

After a somewhat awkward car ride to Adam's place, during which neither of them said very much to each other, Adam found himself in his kitchen, popping the top of two beers. Kim was walked around the living room, taking a look around. Adam was admiring her from his spot in the kitchen. She was observing his apartment like only a cop could do. She was taking note of everything. Adam was impressed.

"To air conditioning and cold beer," Adam said, bringing the beer into the living room and handing one to Kim. They pressed their bottles together before each taking a sip.

"Thank you for rescuing me from my sweltering apartment."

"You're welcome. Feel free to come any time."

As soon as Adam said it, he realized the implication. But he wasn't sorry about it. He would like Kim to come over often.

"You have a nice place," Kim said, turning to look around again.

"Thanks. I…ah…haven't been here long, but I like it." He paused. "Look, I wanted to apologize."  
He took a step towards her. When she turned around, they were only inches apart.

"Apologize for what?" Kim asked, her voice lower with a slight stutter. Adam knew she was nervous.

"For what I said earlier. In Young's house. For calling you…hot. I know it was inappropriate. I…"

"So, you don't think I'm hot?" She asked seductively.

He took another small towards her.

"I think you are incredibly hot," Adam replied. He took her beer from her and placed both bottles on the coffee table. He hoped he wasn't misreading the situation. If he was right, the beers would only get in the way.

"Good," she whispered.

He closed the gap between them, his mouth hot on hers. She looped her arms around his neck and he wrapped his arms around her body, feeling her hot skin under his fingertips. Adam couldn't think. He didn't care that they were colleagues and maybe they should think of the consequences of their actions. He just wanted her. As their lips and tongues dueled, Adam began walking them towards his bedroom. Just as they reached the doorway, the lights went out and the air conditioners hummed to a stop. They broke apart.

"Looks like the power's out."  
Kim licked her lips, her face flushed. She had one hand under his shirt and one at the base of his neck. She had pure lust in her eyes.

"Well, it's gonna get pretty hot in here," she stated.

"I thought it already was."

"Maybe we should take off our clothes. It'll keep us cooler."

"I think that is a very good idea."

Without skipping a beat, Adam pulled her tank top over her head and threw it on the floor. She giggled, standing in her bikini top. She reached up behind her and pulled the strings on the halter top. Before the bikini top hit the ground, Adam had scooped her up in his arms. It was going to be a long, hot night.

Author's Note: Thank you for everyone's kind words and comments from my last chapter. And thank you to fairgirl for giving me the idea to write a story with the theme of "hot." I apologize for not updating sooner. I'll do my best to post a new chapter soon!


	11. Chapter 11 - Surprised

**Chapter 11 - Surprised**

Surprises didn't happen very often after seven years of marriage. Unlike when they first started dating, Adam and Kim knew everything about the other person. They knew how they liked their coffees in the morning. They knew what their favorite TV shows were and whether or not they preferred to stay in or go out on a weekend. Adam knew the only surprise party Kim ever had was when her family had thrown her a party for her graduation from the police academy. From the stories she told, she had a good time, but surprises weren't her favorite. She liked to be in control. Kim knew Adam never had a successful surprise party thrown for him because he always snooped around until he figured out what the surprise was, ruining it for everyone involved. Neither of them had ever tried to really surprise each other aside from a gift or night out here and there. As their seven years together as husband and wife progressed, the small surprises became less and less.

"You're not worried about the seven year itch, are you?" Roman asked, stirring a cup of coffee.

Kim was brought out of her thoughts of surprises, or lack there of.

"What? No," Kim replied quickly.

They were standing beside each other at one of their favorite coffee shops. It had become routine for them to stop by a few times a week while they were out on patrol. The owner loved having them because their presence 'kept the riffraff away.' Roman and Kim liked going because the coffee was good and cheap.

"I just know a lot of couples that didn't make it past seven years of marriage."

"How many is a lot?" Kim asked.

"You know, a few. And I'm not talking about people who didn't try. These were people everyone thought were solid. People you thought would be together for their whole lives. Seven years later, their relationships were over."

"I'm sure they all had very good reasons for breaking up that had nothing to do with them being together for seven years."

"I don't know," Roman replied. "After seven years of marriage, it's like things get boring. Someone always ends up cheating on someone else or people just can't stand the sight of each other anymore. It's a real thing."  
"Well, it's not going to happen to me and Adam," Kim insisted. "We're very happily married."  
"When was the last time you guys did anything spontaneous together?"

"Why are you so worried about my relationship? Why don't you worry about yourself? What ever happened to Mindy, the girl you've been seeing?"  
"I had to cut her loose," Roman answered. "She was just in it to get out of parking tickets."

Kim laughed.

"See? Worry about your own love life. Stop worrying about mine. Adam and I are fine. More than fine. Our marriage is great." As she spoke the words out loud, Kim tried to convince herself that they were true.

"Uh-huh."

"You got any plans for your anniversary?" Atwater asked.

He and Adam were each pouring themselves a cup of coffee in the break room of Intelligence.

Adam shrugged. "Kim and I will probably just going to grab dinner somewhere nice."

"It's Thursday, right?"

"It's scary that you know that," Adam said, stirring in two packets of sugar.

"I stood up for you at your wedding, man. Of course I remember."  
"It's still scary. I barely remember my own anniversary."

"You don't think you should, you know, do something…special?"

"For our anniversary?" Adam said. "Why? It's not like it's a big one."

"Come on, man, every year is a big anniversary. It's like celebrating another year of your love together."

"You should right Hallmark cards."

"I'm serious, man," Atwater continued. "Aren't you worried about the seven year itch?"

"The seven year what?"

"The seven year itch," Atwater repeated. "You know, people say after seven years of marriage, couples get…antsy. They start drifting apart. Their eyes start wondering, if you know what I mean."

"No, I don't know what you mean."

"It's like prime time for couples to start cheating on each other."  
"You don't have to worry about that," Adam assured him. "I trust Kim and she trusts me. And besides, we love each other."

"I know. But maybe you might want to step your game up a little. Don't just go out for a boring dinner. You gotta woo her."

"Are you really giving me relationship advice?" Adam asked. "Because I don't see a ring on your finger."

"I'm just saying, bro. You want to make it through the seven year itch? You gotta put in the work."

Atwater walked away, leaving Adam thinking about what he said. Maybe he did need to start putting in more effort.

Later that night, Kim walked in the door of their house. She spotted Adam through the glass patio doors, leading out in the backyard. He was grilling steaks. Kim took a moment to just watch him. In his T-shirt, jeans, and apron, he looked incredibly attractive. Dropping her things by the door and kicking her shoes off, Kim joined him in the backyard.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey yourself," Kim said, greeting him with a quick kiss on the cheek. "Steak?"

"Figured it was the first nice day we've had in a while. Thought it was time to get the grill out and be a man again."

She laughed. "Well, I do love when you're being a man."

"Oh really?"

"Mhmm."

"Then maybe you'll love this."  
Adam snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her against him. He leaned down and kissed her. After seven years, he never got tired of the taste of her lips.

"Unless you want those steaks well done, you better start paying more attention to them than me," Kim said after a few moments of kissing.

"Party pooper."  
"Maybe we can eat out here tonight?" Kim suggested. "It seems a shame to waste this beautiful day."

"I agree."

"I'm going to get a beer. Want one?"

"Yeah. That'd be great."

Kim went back into the house. She looked through the refrigerator until she found some leftover mashed potatoes from the night before. She popped those in the microwave and started preparing a salad. When she was done, she grabbed two plates and enough silverware for both of them and brought it all outside. On her second trip into the house, she grabbed two beers and the heated potatoes. Joining Adam outside, she put everything on the small patio table out back. When the steaks were done, Adam joined her.

"Looks good," Kim said.

"Dig in."

"How was your day?" Kim asked as they started to eat.

"Uneventful. No new leads in the Hickox case, but we're still working on it. You?"

"Roman and I busted a few graffiti artists, but otherwise nothing exciting."

They began to eat silently. Facing the house, Kim couldn't help but make a mental list of the things they needed to do that weekend. The front steps needed some repairs after the harsh winter they had. The bathroom could use a new coat of paint. They desperately needed a new washing machine. It was a never ending list. Kim sighed. Somehow in the three years since they bought their house, their lives were work first and the house second. They barely talked about anything other than work and the house.

It had been a big decision to buy the house in the first place. After living together for a year before they got married and then staying in the same small apartment for another three and a half years, they both decided they had enough. It was time to move on and become grown ups. It took another six months for them to find a house they were interested in and to actually buy it, but it had been theirs every since. Kim didn't regret their decision to buy a house. It was nice to have a place that was truly theirs, but she did wish it didn't require so much of their time.

"Kim?"  
She blinked. "Sorry, what?"  
"I was asking you about our anniversary. It's less than a week away."

"Right."

"I was thinking dinner at O'Donnell's?" Adam suggested.

"Sounds great," she said even though she didn't really mean it.

"Ok. I'll make a reservation."

Kim nodded and finished her beer, thinking about what Roman said. Had she and Adam reached a seven year itch? Was their life together doomed to be a series of monotonous moments? She started to think that maybe their anniversary was a good place to end their seven year itch.

The next day

"You were right," Kim said, walking into the locker room at the precinct. Roman was standing in front of his locker, getting ready for their shift.

"About what?"

Kim opened her locker and began putting her uniform over her white t-shirt.

"The seven year itch," Kim answered.

"Did Ruzek do something? Cause if he messed around with somebody else, I will…"

"No, he hasn't done anything. He wouldn't."

"Then what's wrong?" Roman asked.

"Last night we were sitting outside having dinner and I was just thinking about how…complacent we've become. I know he loves me and I love him, but we're missing that…spark, you know. I mean, he wants to go to O'Donnell's for our anniversary."

"What's wrong with O'Donnell's? They have the best burgers in town."

"I don't want to go to a bar with good burgers for my anniversary. We go there all the time."

"So…plan something better. Surprise Ruzek."

"He's terrible when it comes to surprises," Kim said. "He always figures them out."

"You could pull it off. Besides, it's not like he's expecting anything, right?"

"Right. I mean, I guess I could make a reservation at that new really fancy place downtown and we could maybe a get a hotel or..."

"Is going to a fancy dinner and a hotel really going to create the spark you want?" Roman challenged.

Kim shook her head and sighed. "You're right."

"You're anniversary's on Thursday, right?"  
"Right."

"Then you could take a long weekend," Roman suggested. "Go somewhere together."  
"Where?"

"Just think of somewhere you've always wanted to go to together and then…make it happen."

"Make it happen," Kim mimicked.

"Come on, we gotta get out there or Platt will have our head."  
As Kim followed him out, she thought about where she and Adam could go to reignite the spark in her marriage.

"What do you think about Maine?" Adam asked.

"The state?" Atwater replied.

"Yeah. Have you ever been there?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

Adam shrugged. They were sitting at the bar at Molly's, each sipping a beer. Seeing as it was a Tuesday, the bar wasn't too crowded.

"Kim mentioned it once," Adam said.

"Maine?"

"Yeah. She said she went once when she was a kid and always wanted to go back. As much as she loves Chicago, I think she's actually a country girl at heart. She loves the wilderness."

"So you're thinking of taking a trip to Maine?" Atwater wondered.

"I don't know. I'm just trying to come up with something we can do for our anniversary. You know, take a little weekend trip."

"Then you are worried about the seven year itch," Atwater stated.

"I'm not worried about it. Our marriage is strong. I just want to do something…different, you know."

"Uh-huh. What exactly are you going to do in Maine?"

"I don't know," Adam admitted. "We could rent a cabin in the woods or something."

"That sounds like a horror movie waiting to happen."

"I think she'd like it."

"Well, you know her best."

"Yeah, I do."

Adam finished his beer and stood up.

"Where are you going?" Atwater asked.

"I've got an anniversary trip to plan," Adam replied before making his way out of the bar.

Three days later

Kim stood in the middle of the living room, her eyes trained on the door. She was expecting Adam at any minute and she felt nervous. In less than a week she managed to pull together an entire trip and keep it a surprise from Adam. She couldn't wait to see the look on his face when he found out what she had planned.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Adam said, the front door opening. He walked in, obviously a little surprised to see Kim just standing there waiting for him. He was even more surprised to see what she was wearing. She had on a pair of Jeans and a plain, red shirt. Although she looked beautiful as always, he had been expecting a little more. It was their anniversary, after all and they still had plans to go out to dinner. Even though O'Donnell's was a casual place, Kim usually dressed up whenever they went out for a special occasion. Adam was a little surprised that she hadn't put on something nicer.

"It's ok," Kim replied. "How was your day?"

"Fine." Adam looked around, confused. Even though he had more than going out to dinner at O'Donnell's planned, Kim didn't know that. "I thought we were going out to eat tonight."

"We were. I…cancelled our reservation."

"What? Why?"

Adam had it all planned out. After they finished their meal, Adam was going to have the waiter bring out a dessert tray that included plane tickets to Maine. It was going to be her anniversary surprise. If they didn't go out to dinner, it was going to ruin the whole thing.

"Because I thought it would be nice to do something different for our anniversary."

Kim produced a small box from behind her back. It was wrapped in silver wrapping paper. A blue bow was on the top. She handed it to Adam.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Just open it."

Adam took off the bow and ripped through the wrapping paper. He took the lid off the small brown box. A single poker chip was inside.

"I don't get it," he said.

"Where's the one place you've always wanted to go, but have never been able to get the time off to actually do it?"

Adam looked down at the poker chip and then up at Kim. He knew exactly what she was planning. He smiled.  
"Vegas?"

Kim nodded. "Surprise! I bought us two tickets to Las Vegas for the weekend. I already cleared it with Voight and Platt. We have the next four days off to spend in Sin City. I even got a nice hotel right on the strip. Our flight leaves in three hours."

Kim tried to read his face. He didn't seem as happy or excited as she thought he would.

"I…" Adam began.

"You don't want to go?" She asked, slightly disappointed. His reaction was not what she expected.

"No, it's not that."

"I thought we could do something different this year, you know. I mean, I love O'Donnell's and I love just being here with you in our home, but we need this, Adam. We need to spend time together away from our work and this house and…"

"I know." Adam reached into his back pocket for something. He pulled out an envelope. "That's why I bought us plane tickets to Maine."

"What?"

Kim took the envelope from him. Inside were two airline tickets.

"I know you went when you were a kid and that you always wanted to go back. I booked us a cabin in the middle of the woods. I figured we could spend some quality time together getting back to nature."

Kim laughed. "I guess we were both feeling the seven year itch then, huh?"

"I wasn't feeling it until Atwater said something about it."

"Yeah, Roman is the one who mentioned it to me."

Adam opened his arms and Kim stepped into his embrace. He kissed her on the top of the head.

"I love that you thought of this," he whispered.

"And I love that you want to take me to Maine. I guess even after seven years together, we can still surprise each other."

"I guess so. So what are we going to do? Maine or Vegas?" Adam asked.

"You've always wanted to go to Vegas."

"And you've always wanted to go back to Maine."  
"Flip a coin?" Kim suggested.

Adam took out his wallet. He grabbed a quarter and handed it to Kim.

"Heads we go to Vegas. Tails we go to Maine."  
Kim flipped the coin in the air, catching it in her palm. She flipped it, planting it on the back of her other hand. She kept her right hand covering it, though.

"Whatever happens, I love you," she said.

"I love you, too."

Kim removed her hand and they both smiled.

Author's Note: Thanks for reading! This chapter was difficult logistically to put together, but I'm happy with the final result. I am working on some more of your suggestions (and am always looking for more) so stay tuned!


	12. Chapter 12 - Embarrassed

**Chapter 12 – Embarrassment**

Embarrassment had been experienced many times by Kim Burgess. Her first encounter with embarrassment that she could remember was when she was five years old in kindergarten. She was sitting on the rug with the rest of the class, listening to a story about dinosaurs when suddenly the urge to use the bathroom hit her. Before she could even raise her hand to ask the teacher's permission, she wet her pants. The entire class laughed. Kim's cheeks turned crimson red and she cried. That was the moment she discovered the definition of embarrassment. From that moment on, Kim did everything in her power to avoid it. That didn't mean it didn't happen from time to time, though.

Following a long day at work, Kim decided to hit the small gym in the basement of the police station. She had just finished a five mile run on the treadmill. She could feel the adrenaline pumping through her. She knew she could have kept going, but she stopped because she was out of time. She slowed down from a run to a jog to a slow walk to cool down. She grabbed the small towel she had thrown on the back of treadmill and dabbed at the sweat on her forehead. The small hairs that fell out of her ponytail were plastered to her face, but she didn't care. The run felt good.

After taking a long drink of water from her water bottle, Kim turned the treadmill off. She took a moment to stretch her legs, knowing it was just as important to stretch after a workout as it was to stretch before one. With her towel and water bottle in hand, she made her way across the gym to the locker room. As she walked past the weight room, she saw Adam working on one of the leg machines. He was pumping an impressive amount of weight. She lingered for a moment, watching him. Eventually he looked up and she caught his eye. He smiled and winked at her. She smiled back. He was the exact reason why she was out of time on the treadmill. They had plans to meet at seven at her place for romantic takeout and whatever fun might happen afterwards. Kim blushed just thinking about it.

It had been three weeks since Adam had shown up at Kim's door and they ended up in bed together. In that time they had kept their relationship a secret from everyone they knew. Although it was difficult, it certainly made things more interesting and exciting. Adam had been so busy with a case in Intelligence that they hadn't seen each other in a few days outside of passing one another in the hallway. Kim was looking forward to their evening together and by the look on Adam's face as he moved on to another weight machine, he was looking forward to it as well.

Kim passed the weight room quickly, not wanting to draw any attention to the looks they were giving each other. The gym wasn't busy, but she didn't want to chance it. She made her way to the women's locker room. Deciding to bypass the shower at the gym in favor of taking one at home, she quickly grabbed her bag from her locker and threw her towel and water bottle inside. She slung the bag over her shoulder and headed out. The minute she stepped through the door, she bumped right into someone. The bag fell off her shoulder, most of the contents falling out.

"I'm sorry," Kim said, bending to pick up her belongings. She hadn't even looked up to see who she had run into.

"It's ok, Burgess."

Kim finally glanced up. She knew that voice all too well. It was Sergeant Voight.

"Sir, I…"

"Don't worry about it."

Voight bent down to help Burgess retrieve the items that had fallen out of her bag. As she picked up the towel she had used to wipe her sweat, she saw a tampon underneath. She tried to scoop it up without drawing attention to it, but she knew Voight saw it first. Kim immediately felt her cheeks flush even though she knew it was stupid. She was a woman and there was no reason to be embarrassed about something she needed. It wasn't like it was the first tampon Voight had ever seen. Somehow, even with that knowledge, that didn't stop that familiar feeling of embarrassment from creeping in, though.

Kim shoved the tampon into her bag, hoping Voight would think the color from her cheeks was because of her workout and nothing more. With the rest of her belongings safely in her bag, Kim stood up.

"Thank you, sir," she said, sliding the bag back on her shoulder.

"Have you seen Sergeant Waterton down here?"

"No, sir," Kim replied.

"Alright. Thanks. Have a good weekend, Burgess."

"You too, sir."  
Voight walked away. She stood still until she was sure he was gone. She didn't want to have another awkward run in with him. Kim was about to head for the exit herself when Adam approached her.

"Hey," he said, trying to act casual.

"Hey."

"What did Voight want?"

"He was just looking for somebody."

"So…listen…" he said, taking a step closer to her.

"Adam, what are you doing?" She warned. She did not want anyone to spot them together.  
"I don't want to wait for tonight," he whispered.  
Adam looked around, making sure there was no one nearby. He grabbed Kim's arm and pulled her into the men's locker room.

"Adam what the hell…" she hissed in a hushed whisper.

He didn't let her finish. Instead, he kissed her frantically, continuing to walk them both to the back of the room where the showers were. Although she knew it was wrong considering where they were, Kim kissed him back with fervor. Their lips and tongues battled against each other. Kim dropped her bag as Adam pulled her into one of the showers, pulling the shower curtain closed behind them. He turned on the water. It was freezing cold. She squealed, but didn't stop kissing him. As the water finally turned from cold to warm, Adam peeled her shirt off of her.

"You're so beautiful," he moaned.

"We shouldn't be doing this," she replied even though she wanted him badly. She couldn't keep the desire out of her voice.

"I don't care."

Adam stripped off his own shirt, dropping it on the ground of the shower. He attempted to remove Kim's sports bra, but seeing as how it was soaked through, it was stuck to her body.

"Leave it," she commanded.

Adam didn't need to be told twice. He concentrated instead on getting her pants off. Kim pulled Adam's sweatpants over his hips and down to his knees, leaving him in just his boxers. Adam spun them around so that Kim's back hit the tile of the shower. The water sprayed him in the face, but he didn't care. He kissed her repeatedly, his hands roaming her body. Just as Kim managed to step out of her pants and was left in nothing but her bra and underwear, they both heard somebody else in the locker room. They froze. Kim put her finger over Adam's lips. They both remained absolutely still and silent, hoping they wouldn't be discovered. They both listened. After a few minutes, they heard the door to the locker room close again. The person obviously left. They both breathed as sigh of relief.

"That was close," Adam said, his lips close to Kim's.

"This is crazy," she replied quietly. "We shouldn't be doing this. We could get caught. We could…"

"If you tell me to stop, I'll stop. But if you want me as much as I want you, then kiss me."

Kim knew what she should do. She knew she should stop him and that they should get out of there before they got caught, but she didn't want him to stop. Just as he said, she wanted him as badly as he wanted her. Kim stood on her tiptoes and kissed him hard. Adam took it as a sign to rid her of her underwear. Neither of them heard the locker room door open.

"Ruzek? Are you in here?"

"Crap," Kim whispered, trying desperately to pull her underwear back up from around her knees. It was Voight's voice.

"Yes, sir." Adam answered.

Kim clamped her hand over her mouth and held her breath, again trying to be absolutely silent and still. The last thing they needed was for Voight to find them having sex in the shower.

"We need you upstairs," Voight told him. "We've got a case."

"I'll be right up."

"Oh and Ruzek?"

"Yes, sir?"  
"Bring Burgess, too."  
Kim's jaw dropped and she locked eyes with Adam.

"Sir, I don't know where Burgess is," Adam lied, trying to cover for the fact that he was with Kim. He was glad the shower curtain went all the way to the floor so Voight wouldn't be able to see two pairs of feet in the shower. Adam was hoping he was convincing enough that Voight would fall from his ruse.

"You're a terrible liar, Ruzek," Voight said. There was a slight pause. "For what it's worth, I think you two make a good couple."  
They both listened as Voight walked away. Neither of them even moved until they heard the locker room door close.

"Oh my God," Kim said, picking up her shirt from the shower floor.

"It's ok," Adam told her.

"It's not ok! He knows about us!"

Adam proceeded to pull his pants back on as best as he could with them being soaked. He had to admit that he was disappointed that they weren't going to finish what they started.

"True, but he obviously doesn't have a problem with us being together," Adam said.

"Adam, he knows we were in the shower of the men's locker room in the basement of the precinct having sex!"  
"Well, we never actually got to the sex part," he pointed out.

"I have never been more embarrassed in my life! How the hell are we supposed to face him?"

"I suggest we dry off first."

Kim turned the shower head off. She suddenly felt stupid, standing half naked, soaking wet in the locker room shower.

"How are you not more concerned about this?! Adam, your sergeant, the man I've been trying to impress…the man we've been trying to convince that I deserve a spot on Intelligence…the man we've been trying to keep our relationship a secret from so that he'll give me that chance and not just think I'm sleeping with you to get a leg up…that man saw us together!"

"Well, he didn't actually see us."

"You're impossible!" Kim shouted. She didn't care who heard her at that point. She was so irritated, she could scream. She didn't know how she let Adam convince her to join him in the first place. Then again, it didn't take much convincing. Just a whisper in her ear and a kiss was all it took for her to practically lose her mind.

Holding her shirt in front of her as a shield, Kim attempted to step out of the shower. She did not want anyone walking into the men's locker room seeing her in just her soaking wet sports bra.

"Hey, hey, hey, I'm sorry," he said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "It'll be ok."

"How do you know that?"

He shrugged. "Because I love you."

"Wh…what?" She asked, trying to wrap her brain around what he said.

"I said I love you."  
"You've never…we've never…"

Adam leaned down and kissed her.

"Come on, we gotta go. Voight wants us after all."

Adam stepped out of the shower. He held the curtain open for Kim to get out.

"I love you, too," she said. Her embarrassment suddenly slipped away. She didn't care that Voight knew about them. She was happy just being with the man she loved and who loved her.

"Well, then nothing can stop us now."

He smiled and leaned in for one more kiss.

Author's Note: I know this chapter is a little short, but it was just a fun one to write. Sometimes you just need a little quickie…ha ha. Hope you enjoyed it! Don't forget to review! There's lots more to come!


	13. Chapter 13 - Regret

**Chapter 13 – Regret**

Regret was not something Adam Ruzek could live with. Ever since he became a cop, he had promised himself that he would have no regrets in life. Life was too short, especially with the dangerous job he had, to wish you had or had not done something. But as Adam stood in Sergeant Hank Voight's office, regret was creeping in before he even had a chance to answer Voight's question.

"Ruzek?"

Adam blinked a few times before focusing his attention on Voight. He had lost his train of thought, too busy thinking about Kim to answer Voight's probing questions. He and Kim had been caught.

Adam and Kim had been in a relationship for several months, much to the surprise of Voight. They had agreed to keep their relationship a secret so that it wouldn't effect Kim's chances of getting into the Intelligence unit. At first they were careful, never appearing as anything more than friends in front of their colleagues. But as time wore on, they got sloppier. The deeper they got into their relationship, the harder it was for both of them to keep their hands to themselves. But it wasn't just the fact that they wanted to physically be together. It hurt Adam every time he saw her upset at work and he couldn't do anything to comfort her. And he knew she felt the same. Keeping their relationship a secret was not an easy task.

Despite their best efforts to stay a secret, it was a fellow street cop who discovered Adam and Kim in a warm embrace in the locker room. Adam was just trying to make Kim feel better after a long day. They thought the coast had been clear and that they were free to show affection towards one another. Clearly they were wrong. Although the street cop simply turned and walked away, pretending he didn't see anything, it didn't take long after being seen that the rumor mill started. Clearly the rumor had reached Voight.

"You and Officer Burgess are currently in a relationship, are you not?" Voight questioned.

Adam knew there was no use denying it and he knew it wasn't a good idea to lie to Voight.

"Yes, sir. We are in a relationship," he answered, the feeling of regret sinking deeper. He knew nothing good could come of telling Voight.

"And you thought it was important to keep your relationship a secret. Why?"

"Because Kim…Officer Burgess was already passed up for a promotion because of her supposed involvement with me, sir. We didn't want that to happen again. The fact is, we weren't even together when you gave the Intelligence position to Atwater."

"But you are now?" Voight pondered.

"Yes, sir. We decided that it was best to keep our relationship a secret so that she wouldn't be accused of trying to sleep her way to the top."

Adam watched Voight carefully as he said his last statement. He hated that anyone would think that Kim would do something like that. She was the type of person who wanted to earn what she got. She had no interest in using somebody to get where she wanted to be, and that included Adam.

"Did you hear that a new budget was approved for the police department by the city council?"

"Yeah, I heard some guys talking about it."

"That gives us enough money to add another member to Intelligence," Voight explained. "I was considering Officer Burgess."

"She deserves that spot, Sarg. She's a good cop."

"I know. That's why I've had my eye on her for quite some time. She's excellent at what she does. I think she would make a good addition to our team. But there's only one problem, Ruzek."

"What's that, sir?"

"You," Voight answered.

"Excuse me?"

"I have a rule about no relationships in the department for a reason."

"I know, sir, and I'm sure those reasons are valid, but..."

"Do you know why I have that policy, Officer Ruzek?" Adam didn't respond. He was afraid if he did, he would be less than respectful. "Because when people get too close, people get hurt."

"Sarg…"

"My second year as a cop out on the streets, I was working with this guy named Jones. Michael Jones. He was engaged to another cop, Cynthia Page. There were no policies back then about male and female officers dating and since they weren't partnered up, it didn't seem to matter. But, one night, the violent crimes section asked the four of us, Jones, Page, myself, and Page's partner Ryan to help them out with a case. They needed some young officers to go undercover. Long story short, Cynthia found herself in a hostage situation. Michael didn't play it by the book. He was determined to keep her safe no matter what the cost. They were both shot and killed right in front of me along with Officer Ryan. From that moment on, I learned that you can't do your job with the person you love. The risk is too high."

Adam nodded. He had heard the story of the fallen officers before, but never quite like that. He had no idea that the story was why Voight had his no dating policy.

"I understand, sir. But I don't think just because we're in a relationship should mean that Burgess doesn't get her chance at Intelligence."

"And what if you two broke up?" Voight continued. "What if you don't make it as a couple? Ever think about how that would change things?"

"We're not breaking up, sir." Adam knew he sounded like a naïve teenager, but the truth was he couldn't imagine himself with anyone else but Kim. They were perfect for each other in every sense of the word.

"Let me ask you something. And I want you to think long and hard before you answer. I want you to be honest with me and with yourself."

"Ok."

"Could you play it by the book if something happened to Burgess?"

Adam did as Voight requested and thought for a moment before he answered. He knew his response was important.

"Sir, this unit is a family. We're all important in each other's lives. With all due respect, if anything ever happened to any of us, I don't think any of us would play it by the book."

Voight nodded. "You're right, but that's not what I'm asking you. Would Officer Burgess being on this team change the way you react to certain situations?"

Adam opened his mouth to say 'no,' but no words came out. He wanted to tell Voight that he could do his job one hundred percent with Kim by his side. He wanted to say that having her around would have no bearings on his decision making and skills. But that simply wasn't the case. He knew having Kim in Intelligence would change things. And he couldn't lie. Not to Voight.

"Yes," Adam finally said. "It would change how I do things. I care for her deeply. I don't ever want to see her hurt."

"Ok," Voight replied.

"But, Sarg, I don't think…" Adam began, wanting to explain himself further. He didn't want what he said to destroy her chances of making it into Intelligence.

"That's all, Ruzek."

"Sir…"

"I said that's all."

Adam turned around and walked out, knowing he had possibly made the biggest mistake of his life.

Later that night, Adam was pacing around his living room. Kim was due any minute. He had replayed his conversation with Voight in his head and had thought about what he was going to say to her. He wondered if he should tell her about what he had said to Voight. Would she understand? There was a knock at the door. Adam took a deep breath and opened it.

"He's making his decision today," Kim said, rushing past Adam. She set a bottle of wine down on the kitchen counter.

"Who?" Adam asked, closing the door behind her.

"Voight. He's deciding who the new member of Intelligence should be."

"How do you know that?"

"Platt told me," she answered.

Kim took off her jacket and threw it on the arm of the couch. She walked up to Adam and looped her arms around his neck.

"About that…" Adam began.

Kim cut him off with a quick kiss.

"It has to be me, right? I mean, who else would it be? Even Platt thinks it's going to be me." Kim disentangled herself from him and walked over to get a beer. "Want one?"  
"No, thanks. Listen, Kim…"

"Oh, come on. I can't celebrate on my own."

"Ok, sure. I'll have a beer."  
Kim grabbed a second beer and handed it to him.

"I know it's not a done deal yet, but Voight's always calling me up to help you guys out. And since he doesn't know about us, there's no reason why he wouldn't want me working upstairs with you guys."

"Actually, he…"

"Won't it be great for us to work together?" Kim continued, cutting him off. Adam knew she wasn't ignoring him on purpose. She was just excited about the prospect of working in Intelligence.

"Yeah," Adam answered.

"You're not…worried, are you?" Kim asked.

"Worried? About what?"

"About us working together and being in a relationship. I know it'll be an adjustment, but I think it'll be good."

"I'd love to work with you. I just don't want you to get your hopes up."

"Why? Did Voight say something to you today?"

Adam didn't know how respond. He didn't want to lie, but he also didn't think she'd understand what he said and why he said it.

"Well, he…" he began.

Adam was interrupted by the ringing of Kim's cell phone. She pulled it out of her pocket.

"It's Voight," she stated, staring at the phone as if she didn't know what to do with it.

"Are you going to answer it?"

Kim slid her finger against the screen, answering the call. She put the phone to her ear.

"This is Burgess," she said.

"Good luck," Adam whispered.

Unable to hear Voight's side of the conversation, Adam hoped Voight was saying the opposite of what Adam knew he was saying. He hoped Voight would let Kim be a part of Intelligence despite what Adam said. Somehow, though, he knew that wasn't true. He watched Kim's face. Her smile quickly disappeared.

"Yes, sir," Kim said after listening to Voight. "I understand. Thank you."

Kim hung up the phone.

"What did he say?" Adam wondered.

"He offered the position to someone else," she said, all of the excitement drained from her voice.

"Did he say why?"  
She shrugged. "Just that there was someone else he had his eye on who had better qualifications than me."

"I'm sorry, babe," Adam said and he meant it. The last thing he wanted was for Kim to not get what she wanted. Especially since Adam knew he was the reason she was upset.

"I just don't get it. I mean, I've worked so hard."  
"I know."

"Did he say anything to you today? Did he…find out about us?"

Adam didn't know how to answer.

"I don't know," he answered. It was the best he could come up with. Yet, as soon as he said it, he felt worse than he had before. He had never lied to Kim. He didn't like the feeling. "Come here."  
Adam took her hand and pulled her towards him. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. She buried her face against his chest. He could hear her crying quietly, his shirt getting wet with her tears.

"I'm sorry," she said, pulling away from him moments later. "I'm being stupid."

"No you're not. You deserved that spot. Voight will come around. I know he will."

Kim managed a weak smile. "Thank you for being here."  
"You're welcome," he said even though inside he was yearning to tell her the truth. "What do you say we order some takeout, get in our sweats, and watch a movie?"

"I'd say that's a very good idea."

Adam gave her a quick kiss before she disappeared into the other room to change.

One Week Later

Kim was just shoving her uniform into her locker when Roman walked up to her. He was still dressed in his police shirt and pants. Kim glanced over at him. She could tell he had a determined look on his face. She was a little surprised considering they had spent the whole day together and had just gotten off shift. She couldn't understand what could have happened in just a few minutes since they got back to the station that would cause him to have such a look on his face.

"What's up?" Kim asked.

"Did Ruzek tell you that he talked to Voight just a few hours before Voight made his decision about who to hire for Intelligence?"

"What are you talking about?"

"My buddy Carlos down in Evidence was up in Intelligence delivering some boxes from the evidence locker to Dawson. He saw Voight call Ruzek into his office and he said when Ruzek came out, he looked down about something."  
"So maybe Adam was just upset because Voight was reaming him out for making a mistake or something," Kim replied.

"Maybe. But that's some coincidence."

"What are you saying?"

"Maybe Ruzek had something to do with you not getting that promotion. I mean, come on, I know you two thought you were keeping your little relationship a secret, but you're not fooling anyone."

"How did you know?" Kim asked, shocked.

"I heard some guys whispering about it at Molly's the other night. Plus I've seen the way you two are together. And if I figured it out, Voight probably did too."  
"You think that's why I didn't get the promotion? Because Voight figured out Adam and I were a couple?"  
"And I think Adam knows that Voight knows," Roman added.

Kim slammed her locker shut. She grabbed her back and stormed off. She needed to talk to Adam immediately.

Less than ten minutes later, Kim stood outside Adam's apartment, banging on the door. He opened the door, surprised to see her.

"Hey, I didn't know you were coming over," he said.

"Did you know Voight wasn't going to pick me for Intelligence?" She asked.

"What?"

"Answer the question. Did you know Voight wasn't going to ask me to be a part of Intelligence?"  
Adam sighed. It was time to come clean.

"Come in and we can talk about this."  
Kim put her hands on her hips. She wasn't about to move.

"Tell me," she said through gritted teeth.

"I didn't know he wasn't going to offer it to you."  
"But he did talk to you. You had some idea that he wasn't going to ask me, didn't you? At the very least, you knew that he knew about us."

"Yeah. I knew he figured it out."  
"How?"  
"I don't know how he knew. Maybe that guy who saw in the locker room told him or…"

"No," she interrupted. "How did you know he knew?"

"Because he called me into his office. He wanted to talk about you being in Intelligence and us working together."

"And what did you tell him?"  
"Would you please come inside so we can talk about this?"  
She shook her head. "What did you tell him?"  
Adam took a deep breath. He knew he had to tell her the whole truth.

"That I didn't know if I could follow protocol if your life were in danger. That working side by side with you would effect my judgment. That's what I told him."

"How could you tell him that?"

"I didn't want to lie to him."

"We've been lying to him all this time about our relationship!" She exclaimed.  
"No. We've been avoiding the truth. That's different."

"All you had to say is that we would be able to work together with no problem. That's all he needed to hear and then I would be up in Intelligence instead of still out on the streets."

"Maybe."

"Maybe?" She repeated. "Are you listening to yourself?"

"I'm sorry if what I said cost you your promotion, but working together would change things and you know it."

"Not anymore."  
"What does that mean?" He asked.

"That means we're done."

"What?"  
"Whatever we had…it's over. Goodbye, Adam."  
Kim turned and began to walk away.

"Wait! Kim!" He shouted, running after her. He put his hand on her arm, but she jerked it away.

"Don't follow me."  
"You can't just break up with me and walk away. We need to talk about this. We need to…"

"We don't need to do anything. We're through. I can't be with a liar."  
Kim dashed away. Adam stood in the hallway alone. He made the decision not to chase her down. He watched as she pushed through the door at the end of the hall and stormed off outside. Adam sighed. He went back into his apartment and closed the door. He felt empty. He couldn't believe he let things get to so out of hand. If he had just told Kim the truth from the beginning, he had a feeling that things would have worked out differently. He had never felt as regretful in his whole life as he did in that moment.

Author's Note: Before you panic, just know that this is a two-parter. I have the day off from work tomorrow because of a snow day, so I decided to stay up late tonight and finish this chapter. Hope you liked it! The conclusion of this mini-story should be posted soon!


	14. Chapter 14 - Heartbroken

**Chapter 14 – Heartbroken**

Heartbroken could barely describe what Kim was feeling. She couldn't think of any one word to explain her state of mind. She was devastated, angry, sad, confused, hurt, and so many others all at once. Sitting on her couch in a pair of fuzzy, plaid pajama pants and an oversized sweatshirt, she couldn't help but let her tears fall. She and Adam were over. She had ended it. And although her reasons had been sound, it didn't make it hurt any less. The bottom line was, in the few months they had been seeing each other, Kim had fallen in love with him. But he had broken her cardinal rule of any relationship; he had lied to her. And she couldn't be with a liar.

Grabbing a clean tissue, Kim wiped her eyes and blew her nose. She tried to calm herself down. She told herself that breaking up with Adam was for the better. She didn't need a man holding her back from what she wanted in her career. Somehow, though, those thoughts didn't actually make her feel any better. The bottom line was it had been less than an hour since she had broken up with him and she already missed him.

Kim's cell phone rang. She looked down at the caller ID on her phone. It was Adam. She ignored the call. She didn't want to talk to him. She wasn't in the mood to hear him grovel. Eventually the phone stopped ringing. Kim decided it was the perfect time for a glass of wine. If she couldn't calm herself down, the wine would help. Just as she made it into the kitchen, there was a knock on her door.

"Unbelievable," Kim muttered.

She couldn't believe Adam would show up at her apartment. She had made it very clear that they were over and that she didn't want him chasing after her. But that didn't explain why here palms were sweating and why the thought of opening the door made her anxious. She knew that if she faced him, she was afraid she would let him sweet talk her into taking him back. She had to be strong. She couldn't open the door.

"I don't want to see you!" She yelled through the closed door. "Go away!"

"But I have wine," the person on the other side of the door replied.

Kim recognized the voice immediately. It wasn't Adam. It wasn't even a male voice. It was Erin Lindsey. Kim tried to wipe the tear stains off her face with the tissue in her hand, but she knew she wasn't really accomplishing anything. She was a mess and her face showed it. Taking a deep breath, Kim opened the door.

"Erin. What are you doing here?" Kim asked.

"I heard about what happened between you and Adam."

"What? How?"  
Kim knew that rumors moved quickly, but they had only broken up an hour before. There was no way rumors could spread that fast.

"Adam showed up at Molly's. I overhead him talking to Atwater about it. He was pretty devastated."

"No one was even supposed to know we were together," Kim muttered.  
"Yeah, well, the cat's out of the bag now."

"Great, so nobody knew we were together, but everyone knows we broke up."

"I just wanted to make sure you were ok. Adam's got the guys in Intelligence, but…"

Erin didn't finish her thought. She didn't need to. Although there was large female presence in the Chicago police department, it was still very much a 'boy's club.' Kim didn't have the same number of people she could rely on and talk to like Adam did.

"Thanks," Kim said. "Come on in."

Kim stepped aside so Erin could enter her apartment. Erin put two bottles of Moscato down on the kitchen counter. She looked around.

"You haven't started drinking yet?"  
"I was just about to start."

"Then I guess I have good timing."

"You can say that again."

Kim grabbed a wine opener and two wine glasses. Erin opened one of the bottles and put the other in the refrigerator for later. Kim poured the wine. With the glasses in their hands, the women made their way to Kim's couch. Kim was a little surprised that she and Erin Lindsey were sitting down about to have a heart to heart. Kim respected Erin immensely, but never really considered her a friend. She was starting to think that maybe that was changing. It felt good knowing she had someone she could turn to within the police department.

"So…how are you doing?" Erin asked.

"Ok, I guess. I mean, I know it was me who made the decision so I should be ok with it, right?"  
"Just because you're the one who made the decision to break up doesn't make it any easier. How long were you two together?"

Kim shrugged. "Not that long. Three months maybe. I know what you're thinking. That's not a lot of time together for me to be this upset that we're not together."

"I don't think that at all," Erin responded. "In our line of work, when we don't know how many more tomorrows we'll get, I think we all fall fast and hard. And you guys were great friends first."

"Yeah, we were. It's funny because it's not like we planned on getting together. I knew I was attracted to him and I was pretty sure he was attracted to me, but I never really thought it would get beyond a little flirting here and there, you know? I mean, he was engaged when we first met but eventually it just…happened."

"Do you think you'll be able to be friends again?"

Kim shook her head. "He lied to me."

"About what?"

"You don't know?" Kim asked, assuming Voight told Lindsey about his decision and why he made it. She figured Voight told Lindsey everything.

"No. Does this have something to do with Intelligence?"

"Voight asked Adam point blank whether he thought I should be Intelligence. Adam said no."

"I can't imagine Ruzek saying that," Lindsey replied. "He knows how good of a cop you are."

"I guess Voight asked him whether Adam would be able to his job if I were there with him. Adam told him he couldn't. So Voight gave my spot to somebody else all because my boyfriend said he can't work with me."

"I'm sorry. I was wondering why Voight didn't choose you."

"The funny thing is, I think I could have gotten over not getting the position if Adam had just been honest with me. If Adam told me that Voight had questioned him…that he had been honest with Voight, I think I could have accepted that. But when Voight called me to say he was giving the position to somebody else, I asked Adam if he knew anything about it, and he said no. He lied right to my face. How can I be with someone who's willing to lie to me so easily?"

A tear rolled down Kim's cheek. She grabbed a tissue and wiped it away.

"Do you love him?" Erin asked.

Kim nodded. "Yes, but sometimes that's not enough."  
"Spoken like a woman who's had her heartbroken." Erin looked over at Kim's empty wine glass. "And on that note, I think we need more wine."

One Week Later

With her bag slung over her shoulder, Kim opened the door to the locker room. She walked to the back of the room. As soon as she turned the corner to the bank of lockers where hers was located, she saw Adam sitting on a bench. He looked up as soon as he heard her. He jumped to his feet.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey. Are you…waiting for me?" Kim asked.

"Yeah. I…I wanted to talk to you. I've wanted to talk to you for a while and I haven't seen you around in a while."

"I've been working the night shift," she explained.

"Oh."  
Kim dropped her bag and opened her locker. She tried to ignore the fact that Adam was standing right next to her as she got ready for her shift.

"What do you want, Adam?" She asked, her eyes focused on the contents of her locker. She didn't want to look at him.

"I just wanted to make sure you're ok."

"I'm fine."

"You look great," he said and he meant it.  
"Don't," Kim warned, finally looking at him.

"Don't what?"

"Don't try to flatter me."

"I'm not trying to flatter you. It's true. You look good. You always look good."

"Adam," Kim shut him down.

"Look, I want us to be able to work together," Adam said.

"Well that's not going to happen since I didn't make it into Intelligence."  
Adam nodded. "I deserved that. I just don't want us to feel like we have to avoid each other. I don't things to be awkward."

"Then let's not make it awkward."

"You don't have to work the night shift to avoid me," Adam said.

"I'm working the night shift because Reyes had a family emergency and Platt asked me to take his shifts," Kim told him. The story wasn't a lie, but what she didn't admit was that she jumped at the chance to work at a different time than Adam. She didn't want to run into him.

"Oh."  
"I'm fine. We were only together a few months. It's not like we were…serious or anything." As the words tumbled out of her mouth, she immediately regretted them. They had been serious, but she was afraid to let him know that.

"Right."

"I have to go."

Kim slammed her locker shut and began to walk away.

"Kim?" Adam called out. She turned to look at him. "I really am sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

She nodded and left the locker room. Sighing, Adam sank down on the bench. His regret had turned into heartbreak. Being without her for a whole week had been devastating. He hated that he was the one who screwed up. He hated that he was the reason the woman he loved as out of his life.

Adam felt his cell phone buzz in his pocket. Thankful for the distraction, he read a text message from Voight. Everyone needed to go to the Intelligence room ASAP. Adam pocketed his phone, made his way out of the locker room, and bound up the steps. Once he was upstairs, Adam saw Olisnky at the front of the room talking to Voight. Lindsey and Halstead were already at their desks. Dawson and Atwater were coming out of the break room, each with a cup of coffee. Adam approached his desk. He heard somebody coming up the steps. He turned and saw that it was Kim.

"Glad you could join us, Burgess," Voight said. "We're going to need all the help we can get."

"Happy to be of service, sir," she replied.

"What's going on, Sarg?" Dawson asked.

"We've got an illegal weapons deal going down tonight," Voight explained. "In one hour."

"That doesn't give us much time for logistics," Erin said.

"No, it doesn't," Voight replied. "But we're going after them. This might be our only chance to get hundreds of guns off our city streets."

"What's the plan, Sarg?" Adam asked, ready for a takedown. He could already feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins. The one thing that could keep him from thinking of Kim was a high-stakes case and that's what he was getting into. He couldn't have asked for better timing.

"Here's what we're going to do," Voight began.

55 Minutes Later

Kim was sitting in a police car, parked around the corner from the abandoned warehouse where the weapons deal was going down. Voight and the team were surrounding the building, ready to burst in, guns blazing. Kim's job was to block the only exit from the building and go after anyone who might try to escape. She tried to focus on the task at hand, but she couldn't stop thinking about her run-in in the locker room with Adam. Even seeing him for a few minutes made her miss him even more. She started to wonder if she was being stubborn. Although she had always stuck to her 'no lying in a relationship' rule, she truly felt that Adam regretted lying to her and that he had never lied to her before. She felt so confused about the whole thing, she didn't know what to do.

"Shots fired!" Someone shouted on the radio.

Kim immediately perked up. She scanned the area through the windshield, ready to act if she saw anybody come her way. She waited for the next radio communication. She had no idea if anyone had actually been shot.

"Officer down!" Another voice came through the radio. She recognized the voice. It was Atwater. Kim knew he and Adam were partnered up together for the raid. If Atwater was the one calling in the incident, there was a very good chance that Adam was involved.

"No," she whispered to herself. She couldn't help but let images of Adam lying on the cold, hard ground of the warehouse, bleeding out from a gunshot wound enter her mind. She forgot all about the job she was asked to do. She grabbed her gun from her holster and opened the car door.

"It's Ruzek," Atwater communicated over the radio. "Ruzek's been shot! We need an ambulance now!"

Kim jumped out of the car and broke out into a sprint, her gun outstretched in front of her. She knew she was breaking every rule in the book, but she didn't care. She had to get to him. She had to make sure he stayed alive.

Kim heard her name being shouted as she ran up to the warehouse, but she had no idea who was yelling at her. She saw Erin and Halstead taking out a few suspects in handcuffs. She ignored them and rushed into the building. She stopped for a split second, just to scan the room. The potential danger she could be in didn't even cross her mind. She spotted Adam a few yards away. Atwater and Dawson were kneeling down beside him. Atwater had his hands pressed against Adam's side. Kim could see a small pool of blood on the ground. Dawson seemed to be checking him over.

"Officer Burgess, get back to your vehicle!" Voight shouted.

Kim blatantly ignored him. She ran over to where Adam was. She holstered her gun and dropped to her knees beside him. His eyes were open.

"Hey," she said, pushing hair away from his forehead.

"Hey beautiful," he replied groggily.

"I'm going to see if the guys need any help," Dawson said, seeing as how he wasn't really needed anymore. "You hang in there, bro."

"Will do," Adam replied.

"What happened?" Kim asked.

"I got shot," Adam answered.

"How is he?" Kim directed her question at Atwater.

"He's going to be ok," Atwater stated. "This guy came out of nowhere and ran right into him. He got the wind knocked out of him. Hit his head. That's why he's so out of it. Guy aimed his gun at him, but…"

"You saved me," Adam said to Atwater.

"That's what partners do, buddy. I got the guy, but not before he managed to pull the trigger. Thankfully his aim was so bad, the bullet just grazed Adam's side. A few stitches and he should be fine."

"My head hurts," Adam complained.

Kim began inspecting his head for any wounds. She didn't see any blood.

"You hit your head on the way down," Atwater explained. "Ambulance should be here soon."  
"Here, I got this," Kim offered.

"I'll go flag the ambulance down," Atwater said.

Kim took Atwater's place, applying pressure to the gunshot wound on his side. Atwater was right. The wound was pretty superficial. It wasn't even bleeding much anymore. Adam was going to be fine. As Atwater stood up, she noticed that he had ripped a piece of his T-shirt off to use to stop the bleeding. He was a true partner.

"Thank you for saving him," Kim said, tears in her eyes.

"I told you, that's what partners are for."

Atwater walked off without another word. Kim knew he didn't have to say anything else. They both knew what it meant to be good partner. Kim knew Adam would have done the same thing for Atwater. She knew she would have too. Still holding pressure on the wound, Kim looked into Adam's eyes.

"How are you doing?" She asked.

"I've been better," Adam replied.

"I can't believe you got shot."

"I can't believe you defied orders."

Kim looked behind her and saw that Voight was standing with his hands on his hips, staring at her. He obviously wasn't pleased. She would deal with that later, though. There was something else she had to do.

"I had to," she replied.

"Why?"  
"Because when I heard that you were shot, I…" she broke off, a tear rolling off the tip of her nose onto Adam's chest. "I couldn't think of anything but getting to you. Protocol and orders form a superior be damned."

He smiled. "I'm very glad to hear that."

"I'm still angry with you for lying to me."

"That'll never happen again."  
"Good. Because I don't want to break up," she told him. "I don't want to be without you."

"Me either."  
"I love you," she said.

As soon as she said it, two paramedics ran up to them. The male immediately grabbed some gauze and took over placing pressure on Adam's wound. The female started taking his vitals. They started talking rapidly back and forth. Kim was all but pushed aside. She grabbed his hand, letting him know she was still there. The paramedics quickly made their assessment, put a neck collar on him just in case, and rolled him onto a backboard. They lifted him onto a gurney. Kim continued to hold his hand as they wheeled him out to the waiting ambulance.

"Here we go," one of the paramedics said, ready to push the gurney into the back of the ambulance.

"Wait," Adam said. "Kim."  
Since he couldn't turn his neck, Kim leaned over him, so her face was even with his.

"I'm here," she said.

"I love you, too."

She smiled. "I'm glad to hear it. Now let's get you well."

"Will you come with me?"

Kim looked back behind her. She saw Voight standing by the entrance to the warehouse, his arms folded. Kim realized he was watching them. It was all out in the open now. Anyone could see that Adam and Kim were desperately in love and that they would indeed do anything necessary to save each other. Kim locked eyes with Voight. He nodded. She knew he was giving her permission to go with Adam even though she was in for a serious reprimand. Kim nodded, thanking him.

"I won't leave you," she said.

The paramedics pushed the gurney into the back of the ambulance. Kim climbed in. As one paramedic monitored Adam's vitals, the other hopped into the front of the ambulance. They began driving immediately, the sirens wailing.

"Does this mean we're back together?" Adam asked.

She smiled. "Yeah. I think so."

"Thank God. Cause I've missed you."  
"Me too."

"Voight's not going to be happy," Adam said.

"I don't care about Voight right now."

"I like this version of you. It turns me on."

The paramedic with them raised an eyebrow. Kim ignored him, keeping her focus on Adam.

"Well, don't get used to it. I'm going to have to go in and grovel for Voight's forgiveness if I ever want a chance of getting in Intelligence."

"You'll get your chance."

"How do you know?"

"Because I know how amazing you are and he will too. Even if I have to shout it from the rooftops, he'll know."

"Let's focus on getting you stitched up before we go shouting anything from any rooftops."

"Deal," Adam said.

She leaned down and kissed him, her heartbreak long gone. 

Author's Note: Thanks to my snow day yesterday, I got a chance to get a lot of writing done. Hope you liked the conclusion to this two-parter. I'm already working on more – including your suggestions. Keep the ideas coming!


	15. Chapter 15 - Lonely

**Chapter 15 – Lonely**

"Lonely," Atwater said.

"What?" Adam replied, tuning him in. He had been only half-listening to Atwater, trying to finish the paperwork Voight had given him so he could go home. He was looking forward to his weekend off even though he didn't have any plans.

"I said, you're lonely, man."

"I'm not lonely," Adam immediately retorted. He finished his paperwork and shoved it into a file folder.

"It's been six months since you and Wendy broke up."

"I know how long it's been."

"Which means it's been six months since you've had a lady in your life."

"So?"

"So, six months is a long time, man. A long time," Atwater repeated, enunciating his words.

"It's not that long."  
"You haven't even had a date. In six months, no date."

"You don't have to remind me."

"Which means you haven't had sex in six months."

"You don't know that," Adam countered.

"Have you?"

"Well, no, but…"

"I don't get it, man," Atwater interrupted. "I didn't even like Wendy. You can't still be pining after her."

"It's not because of Wendy," Adam said. "I mean, I loved her, I guess, but it was the right thing for her to end it."

"Then what's the holdup on finding someone new?"

Adam shrugged. "I guess I'm just tired of going to bars and hitting on women just because I find them attractive, you know."

"What about that girl Sarah I introduced you to last month at Molly's? She seemed nice."

"She was nice. Unfortunately, she couldn't even spell intelligence, no matter understand what I do every day. A few years ago, maybe I would have given a girl like Sarah a chance, but now…now I want something better. I want to find a woman with beauty and brains and a good personality, you know. Someone who accepts and understands what I do. Is that too much to ask?"

"Why don't we go out this weekend? We can hit up a few bars and find your dream girl."

"Maybe." Adam pushed his chair away from his desk. He stood up. "I'll let you know. Have a good night."

"Yeah, you too. Don't get too lonely."

Adam clapped him on the back before walking out. Adam made his way to his car. He thought about stopping at his favorite pizza place for takeout, but then realized he had eaten takeout every night that week. It was time to actually buy groceries and make himself a real meal.

On his way home, Adam pulled into the parking lot of a small grocery store. As he parked the car, he saw a pretty brunette crossing the parking lot, heading into the grocery store. She was in a simple pair of Jeans and a blue tank top. The more he looked at her, the more attractive she looked. He couldn't help but smile at himself. He had done exactly what he told Atwater he didn't want to do anymore. He was thinking of hitting on a woman just because of her looks. Shaking his head, Adam got out of the car and went into the store. He grabbed a hand-held basket and leisurely walked around the store, trying to think about what he would make for dinner.

As he rounded the fruit aisle, he saw the brunette standing in front of a barrel of avocados. She was even more beautiful up close. He looked at the ring finger on her left hand. There was no ring. She wasn't engaged or married. Adam knew he should walk away and find a different aisle to shop in, but he couldn't help but want to talk to her. The word "lonely" kept floating around in his mind. He didn't want to be lonely anymore.

"I never know how tell when they're ripe," Adam said, picking up an avocado.

"Excuse me?" The woman replied.

"Avocados. How do you know when they're ripe?"

"Does that line work for you much?"

"What?"

"Asking a woman how to find a ripe avocado, that's a pick up line, right? Because something tells me you're not going home to make guacamole."

Adam chuckled. He found it very attractive that she picked up on his bullshit immediately.

"You're right. I don't even eat avocados," Adam told her. "I'm sorry, I don't usually try to hit on women at the grocery store."

She smiled as if she understood. Adam appreciated her not being angry about the whole thing. He guessed a woman like her was used to getting hit on.

"It's ok," she assured him.

The woman grabbed an avocado and added it to her basket. She turned to walk away.

"Have a good night," Adam said.

She looked back over her shoulder. She threw Adam a smile, but suddenly her smile disappeared. She was focusing on something behind Adam's back. He turned his head and saw a thirty-something year old man, dressed in a suit, walking towards them. As Adam looked back at the woman, she was walking straight at Adam. She threw her arms around Adam's neck and kissed him. It wasn't just a peck on the lips. It was a full out, full blown kiss. Surprised, it took Adam a moment to kiss her back, but when he did, he made sure he kissed her right. He didn't know why she was kissing him, but he didn't care. She was very good at it.

"Kim?" A male voice called out.

Kim broke the kiss, leaving Adam wanting more. He was slightly stunned.

"Oh, hey Drew," Kim said, addressing the man in the suit who had come down the aisle.

"How are you doing?" Drew asked.

"Good, great," Kim answered quickly, obviously uncomfortable. "How are you?"

"Doing well, thank you. It's…ah…been a while."

"Thirteen weeks, but who's counting," Kim muttered.

Adam was beginning to put together what was going on. He guessed that the beautiful woman in front of him had once been involved with the man and that she was trying to make him jealous. Adam was more than happy to help her with that. He put his arm around her shoulder.

"Hi, I'm Adam," Adam said, reaching his right hand out to shake hands with Drew. "I'm Kim's boyfriend."  
"Nice to meet you," Drew said. He turned to Kim. "I didn't realize you were seeing someone."

She didn't reply. Adam could tell by the look in her eye that she was struggling with seeing Drew. Adam had been there before. It was never easy the first time you ran into an ex after a breakup.

"It was love at first sight," Adam jumped in.

"Well, I'm happy for you," Drew said. "It was nice to see you. Tell your sister I said hi."

"I will," Kim said. "Bye."

"Bye. Nice to meet you. Take care of her."

"Don't worry, I will," Adam replied. Even though he knew nothing about Drew or Kim, he felt like he wanted to protect her and save her from pain. As soon as Drew had left the aisle, Kim stepped away from Adam.

"I'm sorry about that," she said. She turned away from him, purposefully hiding her face.

"It's ok. I don't ever mind being a fake boyfriend. Especially if it comes with a kiss like that."

She turned to look at him again. She smiled. He liked her smile a lot.

"It was a good kiss, wasn't it?"  
"Hell yes."

"I guess…I owe you an explanation," she offered.

"Maybe you could tell me over dinner?"  
Adam could tell her initial thought was to say no, but then he smiled at her and he could see her defenses go down.

"Ok," she said. "How about Saturday?"

"How about tonight?" Kim opened her mouth, but nothing came out. "I bet we can find something better than frozen Salisbury steak."

Kim looked down at her cart. It was full of frozen dinners. The Salisbury steak was on the top.

"You're not going to murder me, are you?"

"Not if you can kiss like that."

"Ok," she agreed with a smirk.

"You like burgers? There's a great little place called Riley's down the street. Unless you're one of those girls who doesn't eat real food."

"The owner at Riley's practically knows me by name. I'm definitely not one of those girls," she stated.

"Good. I hate those girls."

"Me too. I'll…ah…meet you there."

"Ok," Adam agreed. "I guess we should officially introduce ourselves. I'm Adam Ruzek."

"Kim Burgess."

They shook hands.

"I look forward to learning more about you, Kim Burgess."

"Same here. I'll see you soon."

Adam watched her walk away, unable to take his eyes off of her.

Thirty minutes later, Adam and Kim found an empty picnic table outside of Riley's. The place was packed. It was a beautiful summer night in Chicago and everyone was happy to be outside. Adam put their tray of food down. They sat opposite each other. Adam handed Kim her burger and beer. He placed a large plate of fries in the middle of the table for them to share.

"So…tell me about Drew."

Kim took a long swig of beer before she answered.

"We dated for over a little over a year. My sister introduced us. They work together. It was good for a while, but…"

"But?" He prompted.

"He wanted more. He was ready to settle down and start a family and…I wasn't. So he broke up with me. Today was the first time I saw him since we broke up."  
"I'm sorry."

She shrugged. "The worst part is I considered changing who I was for him."

"Well, I'm glad you didn't. I like you the way you are."

"You barely know me," she pointed out.

"I know you like burgers and beer, you're beautiful, and you're a very good kisser. What else is there?"

"You're not going to let me live that kiss down, are you?"

He shook his head. "No."  
"So what's your story? Why is someone like you hitting on a woman at the grocery store?"

"Someone like me? What does that mean?"

"You know, someone…attractive."  
"You think I'm attractive?" He teased.

"Are you going to tell me your story or not?"

"For the record, I think you're attractive too. Very attractive." He could see a little pink forming on her cheeks. He liked that he could make her blush. "As for my story, my fiancé and I broke up a few months ago."

"I'm sorry."

"It's ok. It wasn't meant to be."

"Why'd you break up?" Kim questioned.

"She didn't like what I did for a living."

"And what do you do?"

"I'm a cop."

"Really?" She asked, clearly surprised.

"Yeah. Why? Does that surprise you?"

"No. It's just…I'm a cop too."  
"You're a cop?"

"Does that surprise you?" Before he could answer, she continued. "Because if you're one of those cops who doesn't think women can be good police, then…"

"No, no, I don't think that at all. One of the best cops I work with is a woman. I'm just surprised because what are the odds, you know?"

"Yeah. Sorry. I can get very protective over being a female police officer. It's the big reason why Drew and I broke up. He couldn't understand why I'd rather be out on the streets instead of being home with a baby."

"He sounds like a jerk."

"We just weren't meant to be. But enough about me. What district do you work in?"

"21," Adam answered.

"I'm in 14. Where's your beat?"  
"I'm not a street cop. I work in Intelligence."  
"With Hank Voight?"

"Yup."

"Nice gig," Kim commented.

"Yeah, I love it."

"I think the streets are the place for me. I can't imagine being anything but a street cop."

"Maybe we can work together some time."

She smiled. "Maybe."

"At the very least, I'd like to see you again," Adam said.

"We haven't even made it through one meal."

"Well, I know what I like and I like you."

"Maybe you were right," Kim commented.  
"About what?"

"What you told Drew. Maybe this is true love."

"Maybe."

"I guess we'll have to wait and see," Kim said.  
He reached across the table and took her hand. He felt butterflies in his stomach. He couldn't help but think about what Atwater said earlier. Atwater had been right. Adam had been lonely, but he had a feeling that Kim was about the change that.

"To avocados," Adam said, lifting up his beer.

"To avocados," she repeated.

They knocked their beer bottles together. Before Kim could bring the beer to her lips, Adam leaned over the table and kissed her.

Author's Note: I love playing with the idea of other ways Adam and Kim could have met (which actually gives me the idea of a different multi-chapter story. Hmmm…). Hope you liked it! Don't forget to review!


	16. Chapter 16 - Needy

**Chapter 16 - Needy**

Needy people were not Adam's favorite. Once in college he dated a woman he could only classify as needy. She hung around him all the time, constantly pining for his love and affection. It drove Adam crazy. Since then, he only dated women who were independent. Kim fit that description to a T. But as he thought of her, it made Adam feel the exact thing he disliked when it came to women - needy.

Need flowed through every part of Adam's body. He knew the difference between wants and needs. His father had drilled that into him every since he was a child - he wanted the new toy from the toy store, but he needed food to survive. That was the example that always streamed through his mind every time he thought about what he wanted verses what he needed. Kim wasn't a want. Kim was a definite need.

As he sat at his desk, Adam couldn't keep his foot from tapping. His body felt jittery. He hadn't had more than five minutes alone with Kim in weeks. They were both busy working. Kim had been pulling double shifts to cover cops who came down with a stomach bug that was spreading through the station like wildfire. Adam was busy with the Intelligence unit investigating the murder of a government official. Although they kept making plans together, they always fell through. After a few weeks of nothing but quick 'hello's' and a stolen kiss here or there in the locker room, Adam needed her. He needed to touch her soft skin with his fingertips. He needed to taste her lips. He needed to feel her body under his. He felt like he was going to go crazy if he didn't have her soon.

It had been over a year since Adam and Kim officially got together. They had been friends for long before that. Adam couldn't remember any other woman he had ever been with that he still wanted the same after a year as he did the first time they were together. Kim was the exception. If anything, time only made him want her more. She was everything he could ever have wanted in a woman. She was smart, sexy, fun to be around, and she understood him. She was everything all rolled into one. And being without her, even for a few weeks, was killing him.

"I need a break," Adam said, pushing his chair away from his desk.

"Voight wants these before we go home," Atwater replied. He was sitting at his own desk, going through a pile of file folders. His desk was just as messy as Adam's. They had been searching through old files for hours. But they knew they couldn't stop until they found what Voight needed them to fine.

"I just need some air."

Adam stood up.

"This better not be some lousy escape attempt to ditch me on this one," Atwater warned.

"I'll be right back."

"You better."

Adam jogged down the steps away from Intelligence. He went right out the front doors, searching for some fresh air. He was hoping that would put a stop to his libido. He leaned against the brick building and pulled out his cell phone. He sent Kim a quick text message.

'Working late,' he wrote. 'I'll come over when I'm done.'

He knew inviting himself over was a long shot. It wasn't that Kim wouldn't want him to drop by, but he guessed she was either working or getting some much needed sleep. The problem was, the last thing on Adam's mind was sleep.

'I'm still at work, too,' Kim texted back a few seconds later. 'Working an overnight shift. Come visit if you can. I'm down in evidence.'

Adam immediately slipped his phone back in his pocket. Knowing that Kim was so close made fresh air unnecessary. She filled every thought he had. He ran back into the building and went down to the basement where the evidence locker was. He found Kim sitting at a table, tagging pieces of evidence.

"Hey," he said.

She looked up. She smiled when she saw him.

"Hey."  
Adam walked right up to her, leaned down, and kissed her hard. The feel of her lips only made him need her more.

"I needed that," Adam murmured when they finally parted.

"What was that for?"  
"I missed you."  
She smiled. "I missed you, too."  
"Think you can sneak away for a few minutes?" He asked.

"I told Platt I'd finish these and since I haven't slept in about twenty-two hours, I'd like to finish before midnight so I can actually get a few hours of sleep before my shift starts again at six in the morning."  
"Platt cannot expect you to work this much."

"That stomach flu seems to have taken out half the Chicago police department," Kim explained.

"So leave the evidence for some other time."

"I can't. They need it for a court case tomorrow."

"Take a ten minute break," Adam coaxed.

"I guess I could use some coffee."

"That's not exactly what I had in mind," Adam muttered.

Kim stood up. Before she could even take a step, Adam snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her towards him. He practically devoured her, kissing her with everything he had. He jammed his tongue down her throat, his right hand resting at the base of her skull to keep her head still.

"Wait…Adam…" Kim breathed.

Adam ignored her and continued to kiss her. His left hand roamed her body. He wanted to feel her skin. Her police uniform was making that impossible. He walked with her, pinning her against a wall. His lips attacked her neck. He knew he shouldn't leave a mark, but at that moment, he didn't care if he did. He wanted to brand her as his.

"I've missed you so much."

He finally managed to untuck her shirt. He got his hand on her bare stomach.

"We can't," Kim said, putting her hand on his chest and pushing him away.

"Kim, I want you," he begged. "I need you."

"There are cameras."

Adam looked in the corner of the room. He saw two cameras staring down at them. Adam stepped back from Kim. Even though their relationship hadn't been a secret in a long time, Adam also didn't want to be caught having sex on camera.

"I'm sorry," he said. He felt like a horny teenager.

"Don't be. I've missed you too."

Kim readjusted her clothes, tucking her shirt back into her pants.

"We really need to find some time off together."  
"Yeah, we do," Kim agreed.

"It's been weeks since we've..."

"I know."  
Adam took a breath. "When Intelligence is done with this case and this stomach flu is over, you and I are taking a whole weekend off together. And we're not getting out of bed for forty-eight hours."

"That sounds amazing."

Adam felt a vibration in his pocket. He took out his phone. He had a text message from Atwater, telling him to get his ass back upstairs to Intelligence to finish the job they needed to do.

"I gotta go."  
"I should get back to work, too," Kim responded.  
"Alright, I'll…see you later."  
"Ok."

Adam kissed her quickly before walking out of the room. Although he appreciated their little makeout session, he needed more. As he trudged up the steps to go back to work, he knew he wasn't going to get more for a long time.

6 Hours Later

Adam could see Kim from afar. She was standing in the middle of a meadow, wearing a flowing, white dress. A variety of brightly colored wildflowers surround her. She beckoned for Adam to come towards her. He attempted to take a step, but couldn't. It was as if he was stuck to the ground. He watched as Kim turned around, her hair blowing in a breeze he couldn't feel. She looked beautiful, almost angelic. Adam opened his mouth to shout her name, but no sound came out. Kim disappeared over a small hill. He couldn't call to her. He couldn't move. Dread set in. She was gone.

Panting, Adam sat straight up in bed. He looked around. He was in his bedroom. It had been a dream. He let his breathing return to normal before he looked over at the clock. It was just past four. He had only gone to bed two hours before and he had to back at work for seven. Adam threw his blanket off his body and put his bare feet on the floor. He stood up and went into the kitchen to get himself a glass of water. As he opened a cabinet, he heard the sound of his front door opened. Adam thought about the gun he had in his bedside table. He knew he didn't have time to get to it. Instead, he grabbed a butcher knife from his kitchen drawer. The door opened. Adam got ready to attack. The intruder stepped inside. Adam jumped out from the shadows. He heard a very recognizable scream.

"Kim?" He asked.

"What are you doing?" She replied.

"What am I doing? You're breaking into my apartment!"  
"I have a key! I thought you'd be sleeping!"

"I was, but I…I had a weird dream."

"Could you put the knife down?"

"Sorry," he replied.  
Adam immediately placed the knife back in the drawer. He flicked on the kitchen light so he could actually see her better. He noticed she was in one of his old T-shirts and a pair of black yoga pants.

"I'm sorry I startled you," she said.

"It's ok."  
"I just…I need you."

"What did you say?" He asked, hoping he had heard her right. Could she possibly need him as much as he needed her?

"I said I need you. It's been too long and…"

Adam didn't even let her finish. His need for her was at an all time high. He couldn't wait another second to get his hands on her. He scooped her up in his arms while simultaneously kissing her. He carried her into his bedroom, neither of them saying a word.

A few hours later, Adam woke up with Kim in his arms. She was sleeping peacefully beside him, using his arm as a pillow. They were both completely naked, exhausted from their love making. Adam smiled. He looked at the clock. It was just past five. He knew she had to get to work for six. Although he hated to wake her, he knew she would be angry if he didn't. Adam began with a light touch on her arm. He started tracing small circles on her back. He ended with a kiss on her forehead.

"Good morning," Kim mumbled as she came into consciousness.

"Good morning."

"What time is it?"  
"5:15."

She moaned. "Too early."

"I know, but you said you have to go in for six."

"No I don't."

"Platt changed your shift?"  
She finally opened her eyes. "I told her I had the stomach bug."

"You lied to Platt?" He asked.

"Maybe."

"You've got balls."

She laughed. "I think we established last night which one of us has balls."  
"True."  
"I might have also suggested that you were getting sick as well."

"Oh you did, did you?" He asked with a playfulness in his voice.

"I mean, you can go in if you want to and tell Voight that you had a miraculous recovery, but I was thinking maybe your idea of not getting out of bed for forty-eight hours together could start now."

"You are a genius."  
"Well, I really needed you and I couldn't think of any other way to get you all to myself."

"I'm very glad to hear you say that because I thought I was going to lose my mind if I didn't get to be with you."

"It feels good to be wanted," she said, boosting herself up on her elbows so that she could hover above him.

"You must have heard me wrong. I didn't just want you, I needed you. I still need you."

She leaned down and kissed him. He rolled them both so he was on top of her. He locked eyes with her, thinking about the dream he had. The white dress he pictured her in looked an awful lot like a wedding dress. He couldn't shake the image from his mind. He knew that although his temporary need had finally been satisfied, he knew when it came to her, he would never be one hundred percent satisfied. He would always want her. And he wanted to make sure she was always there with him.

"What are you thinking?" She asked.

"I love you."

"Then make love to me."  
"With pleasure."

Author's Note: Considering what's going on in the real show right now, I hope this chapter made everyone just a little bit happier!


	17. Chapter 17 - Content

**Chapter 17 - Content**

"Content," Adam said.

"Content?" Kim questioned, wondering if she heard him correctly. It wasn't exactly the word she was expecting.

"Yeah, I feel content."

"You're content with our relationship?"

"Yeah."

"Oh."

Kim turned her head away from him to look out the passenger side window. Adam started the car and drove off. They were driving away from one of Kim's friend's houses. Her name was Lucy and she and Kim had worked as flight attendants together for several years. Lucy had just gotten engaged and was having an engagement party at her home. Kim had convinced Adam to join her at the party even though he was hesitant. He didn't think sitting around with a bunch of people he didn't know on a Saturday night sounded like fun. Kim had managed to convince to join her and they ended up having a good time. Sometimes it was nice to get away from constant police talk.

Kim enjoyed catching up with her old friend. When Lucy asked Kim how things were going with Adam and whether or not Kim expected an engagement ring in her near future, Kim admitted that she and Adam had never really had a sit-down conversation about where their relationship was going. Lucy had been surprised considering the fact that Adam and Kim had been dating for eighteen months. The fact that she and Adam hadn't really talked about the future of their relationship had never really bothered Kim until Lucy started asking her questions. Compared to Lucy and her fiancé's short, whirlwind romance, it made Kim feel like there was something wrong with her relationship.

That was why Kim asked Adam how he felt about their relationship. As they walked out of Lucy's house and towards their car, she asked him point blank 'how do you feel about our relationship?' She was not expecting him to say 'content.' She was hoping he would say he loved what they had together or that he was excited about their future together. But no, he simply said he was 'content.' For Kim, that didn't seem like enough.

"So, when is the wedding?" Adam asked.

"What?" Kim replied, pulled from her thoughts.

"Lucy's wedding. When is it?"

"Oh. October. She asked me to be a bridesmaid."  
"That's nice. Does that mean you get to bring me as your hot date?"

Kim smiled meekly at his attempt at a joke. She wasn't really in the mood to joke.

"I guess so."

"Sounds like I'll have to find myself a suit," Adam continued, clearly not picking up on her mood.

"Yeah."

"I've never been in a wedding before. Have you?"  
"I was the maid of honor at my sister's wedding."

Kim looked back out the window. She knew she shouldn't let what Adam said bother her. There were worse things than being content. She just wished he had used a better, more exciting word.

"You ok?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"I was thinking we could stop by Molly's on the way home. The guys are having a little get together. I texted Kevin before we left. He said everyone is still there. What do you say?"

"Sure," Kim said even though she would have preferred just going home. She wasn't in the mood to have a beer even with friends.

They drove the rest of the way in silence. As soon as they got to Molly's, Adam went off to the bar to do shots with the guys in Intelligence. After ordering a beer, Kim sat at a high-top table, away from the bar. She sipped her beer, unable to stop thinking about the word 'content.' The more she thought about it, the more she started hating it.

"Hey," Lindsey said, sliding onto a stool across from Kim. "I was wondering if you guys were coming. It's not like Adam to miss an Intelligence party."

"We had an engagement party for a friend of mine to go to first."

"Did you have fun?"

"Yeah, it was fine."

Lindsey noticed Kim was distracted. She followed Kim's line of sight. Kim was staring at Adam.

"Everything ok?" Lindsey asked.

"Yeah."

"You sure?"  
Kim sighed. It was rare that she and Lindsey ever got to have any 'girl talk' time, but Kim did consider her a friend. If nothing else, she knew Lindsey would tell her the truth. Lindsey wasn't one to sugar coat things.

"What do you think of the word 'content?'" Kim asked.

"I think it's a fine word. What is this about?"

"Adam used it to describe our relationship. I asked him how he felt about us as a couple and he said 'content.'"

"Oh."

"See, I knew it was bad."

"It's not bad. Men just aren't always as…eloquent with words."

"Yeah well, he at least could have said happy. That would have made me…"

"Happy?" Lindsey filled in.

"Yeah."

"Are you guys having any problems?"

"Not that I know of," Kim answered. "I mean, we both work a lot and don't spend as much time together as we'd like, but we've gotten used to it. It's the job, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. Any trouble in the sex department?"

"I don't think so. We're both…satisfied. Very satisfied."

The women laughed.

"Well, look, it's just a word," Lindsey stated. "I don't think he meant anything by it."

"You're probably right."

"But if it's bothering you, talk to him about it," Lindsey prompted.

"He'll probably just say I'm being crazy."

Lindsey shrugged. "It can't hurt to bring it up. At least he'll know how you feel. Otherwise you'll go crazy worrying about it."

"You're right."

Kim slid off the stool and marched across the bar towards Adam.

"I didn't mean right now," Lindsey mumbled to herself.

Kim walked up to where Adam was sitting. She tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around, surprised.

"We need to talk," she stated.

"Ok."  
"Not here."

"What do you…"

Kim grabbed his arm before he could finish his sentence. She practically dragged him outside. They weren't completely alone, with people passing by, but it was better than talking in front of the entire Intelligence team and everyone else inside Molly's.

"What's going on?" Adam asked. "You ok?"

"What did you mean when you said you were content?" Kim demanded to know.

"What?"

"I asked you how you felt about out relationship when we were walking out of Lucy's house and you said content," Kim reminded him.

"Did I say something wrong?" He wondered, incredibly confused.

"Why did you say content?"

"Because I am content."

"But what does that mean? Does that mean you're content, but you want more? Does that mean that you think things could be better? That you'd rather be with someone else? Or…or are you just lousy at descriptive language?"  
"Woah, slow down. I don't want to be with anyone else," he assured her.

"Then what did you mean?"

"I didn't mean anything by it. I'm happy, Kim, you know that."  
"Do I?"

"Babe, I love you. I'm happy. Ok?"

Adam tilted her chin up with his fingers so he could look into her eyes.

"Ok," she said. "It's just…"  
"What?"  
"Lucy met Doug five months ago. Five months, Adam. And now they're engaged and they're getting married and…they're so damn happy. I mean, they couldn't shut up about each other. They couldn't stop smiling at each other."

"Yeah, that was a little creepy."

"Not the point."

"Did you see how they acted whenever someone said the other person's name? Their faces looked more excited than a kid on Christmas day. It's like they couldn't get enough of each other."

"So, is this about you worrying about our relationship or is this about you comparing our relationship to your friends'?"

Kim sighed. She knew Adam had a point. She was being ridiculous.

"I don't know," she answered truthfully. "I'm sorry. I know I sound crazy."

"No, it's ok. Look, if you're unhappy…"

"I'm not!" Kim interjected. "I'm not unhappy. I'm very happy. I love you. I love us."

"Me too."

"I'm just worried that content isn't enough. And if it's not, then I need to know what I can be doing to make it better."

He put his hands on her waist. "Content isn't a bad thing, Kim. Content is good. Content means I'm happy with every part of my life. I've got the job I want, friends who have my back, and a beautiful woman I love and who loves me. I couldn't ask for anything more. I couldn't be more content. And I'm sorry that it's not a better word, but…"

"No," Kim said, putting her hands on his chest. "It's a perfect word. I'm very content, too."

"Good."

"I'm sorry I was so crazy. I just…"

He leaned down and kissed her, silencing her. She didn't seem to mind.

"But there is one more thing that I can think of to make us even more content," Adam continued when they parted.

"What's that?"

"I was planning on doing this inside with our friends, but, I guess now is as good a time as any."

Adam reached into pocket and pulled out a small, velvet, black box. He got down on one knee. Kim gasped.

"Oh Adam," she whispered.

"I love you. I can't imagine you not being in my life." He saw a tear roll down her cheek. "You are beautiful and smart and amazing. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. There is no one else I'd rather be content with." He opened the box, revealing a beautiful diamond ring. "Will you marry me?"

Kim nodded. "Yes!"

Adam stood up. Before he could even take the ring out of the box, Kim launched herself into his arms. Their lips met in a perfect kiss. When they broke apart, Adam took the ring out of the box and slid it on Kim's finger. She held it up, admiring it.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too."  
Adam brushed a few stray tears from her cheeks. He couldn't get rid of the smile on his face. As they kissed again, the door burst open. The entire Intelligence crew rushed outside.

"You already asked her?" Atwater asked.

"Did she say yes?" Halstead added.

Kim held up her left hand. "I said yes!"

"Congratulations!" Lindsey exclaimed, running over to give Kim a hug. The men congratulated Adam with hand shakes and quick hugs. Eventually they all made their way back inside the bar to celebrate. Halstead bought everyone a round of shots.

"To my beautiful fiancé," Adam shouted to everyone in the bar, raising his shot glass in the air. Everybody cheered and downed their drinks.

"Another one?" Halstead asked.

"Hell, yes," Kim answered.

While Halstead went off to get the drinks, Adam wrapped his arms around Kim's waist. He pulled her closer to him.

"Are you happy?" He asked.

"I am very content," Kim said with a smile.

She crashed her lips into his. Being content was not a bad thing after all.

Author's Note: I loved writing this chapter because it came very easily to me. I apologize for the delay in posting chapters – I just rescued a dog and he's been taking up a lot of my time. Thanks for reading!


	18. Chapter 18 - Drained

**Chapter 18 - Drained**

Drained. That's how Kim felt. She was emotionally and physically drained. She couldn't focus on anything but the off-white wall opposite her. She somehow was sweating even though her body was freezing. The air conditioning pumping out of the vents in the floor was going right through her hospital gown, giving her goose bumps all over. Kim shivered. She just wanted to get out of there, but she knew she couldn't. Kim nearly jumped when the door to the small room she was sitting in opened.

"Kim Burgess?" The nurse asked, entering the room and closing the door behind her. She was holding a clipboard with Kim's medical information on it.

"Yes."

"I'm Nurse Olivia Jones. I'll be taking care of you today. How are you doing?"

"I just want to get this over with," Kim said.

"Of course." The nurse looked over Kim's chart. "Are you here alone?"

"Yes."

"Is there…anyone I can call for you?"

"No."  
"Your fiancé perhaps?" The nurse continued. Kim looked down at the engagement ring on her finger. She shook her head. "You know, having someone here with you during your biopsy can make things easier."

"I'm fine," Kim said. She could feel tears welling in her eyes, but she refused to cry. She was choosing to do this alone. She had to be strong.

"You do know you can't drive home, right? They should have explained that to you during your last appointment."

"I took a taxi," Kim said. "I'll take one home."

"Are you sure…"

"I'm sure," Kim snapped. She didn't mean to be rude, but she just wanted to be done with procedure so she could go home.

"Ok. I'm just going to prep you. Could you lay back, please?"

Kim nodded. She laid back against the narrow bed she was on and closed her eyes. She thought of Adam. She wondered what he was doing in that moment. She wished whatever it was that he was doing, she was doing it with him and not sitting on an uncomfortable cot waiting to have the lump in her breast cut into to test whether she had cancer.

Adam walked up the steps and into the police station that he called home. He cursed as he walked, his shoes pinching his feet. He couldn't wait to get out of the suit and tie he was wearing. He hated dressing up.

"What's with the monkey suit?" Platt asked as Adam approached the front desk. "Oh crap, nobody died, right?"  
"No Sarg, nobody died," Adam assured her. "Olinsky and I were supposed to testify in court today."

"Supposed to? What happened? Did you screw it up?"

"The guy took a plea deal ten minutes before court was supposed to start."

"Must be your lucky day," Platt commented, suddenly less interested.  
"It would be if I could get out of this awful suit."

"You know where the locker room is," Platt said, focusing her attention on whatever she had been doing before Adam walked in.

"Actually I was hoping to take Kim to lunch. Have you seen her?"

"Oh, I get it. You get all dressed up to go to court and put some guy away for a life sentence and then you figure you mine as well take your girl out for a meal while you're looking so snazzy. Cute."

"Something like that," Adam said.

"She's not here."

"As in she's out on patrol with Roman?"

"No. That means Burgess is not here as in she didn't come to work today."

"What?"

Adam was incredibly confused. He distinctly remembered leaving Kim's apartment that morning and telling her to have a good day at work. She hadn't corrected him.

"She called out sick. Shouldn't you know that as her fiancé?"  
"I…" Adam didn't know how to respond. "Thanks Sarg."  
"If she's playing hooky, you tell her I'll kick her ass."

"I'll tell her."

Adam turned around and walked right out of the building. He grabbed his cell phone from his pocket and called Kim. It rang five times before going to voicemail.

"Hey, it's me," he said, leaving a message. "I didn't have to go to court today after all so I stopped by the station to see if you wanted to go to lunch you weren't there. Platt said you called out sick. So…call me."

Adam hung up the phone. Wondering if maybe Kim had gotten sick after he had left her that morning, Adam decided the next best thing to do would be to surprise her at apartment. Maybe a little chicken soup would be just the thing to get her feeling better. Adam headed to the nearest deli to find some soup

Three Hours Later

Adam was sitting at Kim's kitchen table, drumming his fingers against the wood. The chicken soup he had purchased had long since been put in the refrigerator. After buying the soup, Adam went home to change into Jeans and T-shirt before heading to Kim's apartment. He was surprised when he let himself in that he didn't find her there. Her apartment was empty. There was no sign of where she was. Adam called her a second time, but she didn't pick up. He left her another message.

Since he arrived at her place and found it empty, he left her three more messages and half a dozen text messages. He was never the type of boyfriend who demanded to know where his significant other was all the time, but Adam was worried. She never just disappeared like that. He hated not knowing where she was and whether or not she was ok. It wasn't like Kim to call out of work with no explanation.

Adam stood up and began pacing around her kitchen. He wandered into her bedroom, trying to find any clues as to where she could be. The bed was unmade, looking just as he left it that morning. There were no signs of where she could be. Just as he was about to take out his phone and call Kim's sister to see if she had heard anything, the door opened. Adam raced into the living room to see her.

"Adam!" Kim exclaimed, surprised to see him. "What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" He replied, almost angrily. "Where the hell have you been?"

"I was…out. I thought you were supposed to be in court all day."

"It got cancelled. I stopped by the station to see if you wanted to get lunch, but Platt told me you called out sick. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. I just…I had something I had to take care of."

"I left you a few voicemails," Adam said. "And I texted you."

"I'm sorry. My phone was on silent."

"All day?"

"What do you want me to say, Adam?" She replied. She didn't want to be angry. She didn't have the energy to be angry. "I didn't hear my phone. I'm sorry."

"I was worried."

"I'm sorry. Look, it's been a long day and I'm really tired and I'm really hungry. So…"

She went off into the kitchen in search of something to eat. When she aw the chicken soup, her heart melted a little. It was thoughtful of Adam to bring it. She was about to ask if Adam wanted to join her for a bowl when she could feel his presence behind her.

"Are you having an affair?" He asked.

Kim whirled around, slamming the refrigerator closed. She never expected those words to come out of his mouth.

"What?"

"Are you seeing somebody else?"

"Of course not!" She exclaimed. "How can you even ask me that?"

"You disappeared today!"

"So I'm not allowed to do things without telling you first? I don't like this side of you, Adam."  
Ignored the chicken soup, she brushed past him and headed for the bedroom. She was exhausted. Her body and her mind needed to rest. And despite the pain medication she was given, she was sore. The last thing Kim wanted to do was to argue with Adam after the day she had.

"It's not just today," he continued, following her into her bedroom. "You haven't let me touch you in like a month. Every time I try to get close to you, you push me away. And last week, when your phone rang, you couldn't get away from me fast enough to answer it."

"So you think that means I'm sleeping with somebody else?"

"I don't know what it means. But I do know that things have been different between us this past month."

"I think you need to leave."

"No. Not until you talk to me."

"I'm not having an affair!" She shouted.

"Then what is going on? Did something happen at work? Are you unhappy with me?"

"No, it's nothing," Kim said. She could feel her defenses breaking down. She had been so strong all day. Her strength was failing. "Please just go. I'm tired and I…I can't do this right now."

"You're the one who always says we need to keep our communication open. That we need to talk to each other. So talk to me."

As he spoke, Adam's voice was noticeably softer. Kim knew he wasn't speaking in anger. He was genuinely concerned. Although she hated that he accused her of having an affair, she tried to think about what she would do if their roles were reversed. She knew she had been acting strange for a few weeks. She had tried to save face and keep everything as normal as possible, but she was failing. Kim sat down on the edge of the bed. She didn't have the energy to stay standing anymore.

"I'm not having an affair," she told him. "I would never do that to you."

He sighed. "I know you wouldn't. I'm sorry. I just…I lost my mind. But I'm worried about you, babe. Talk to me."

Adam reached towards her and gingerly brushed her hair behind her ear.

"I didn't go to work today because I had a doctor's appointment."  
"Another one? Didn't you just go to the doctors a few weeks ago?"

She nodded. "This was a follow-up appointment."

"Follow-up? For what? Is everything ok?"

"Maybe you should sit down."  
Adam sat down beside her. She turned her body so she could face him. She was terrified to tell him the truth. Scared of what he may say or what he might do. But she also needed to tell him as much for him as for herself. She was tired of carrying her secret alone.

"Just tell me you're ok," he said.

"I can't do that."

"What does that mean?"

She took a deep breath. "Do you remember about a month ago, when we were fooling around on the couch and you took my shirt off. You said you felt something…a bump on my breast."

"Yeah. You said it was normal. That it comes and goes sometimes."

"I only said that because I didn't…I didn't know what else to say. I didn't want you to worry and maybe I didn't want to face the truth."

"So…what are you saying? That the bump was something? That it is something?"

"I scheduled an appointment with my doctor after that. They did a mammogram. That was the doctor's appointment two weeks ago. They found a lump."

"But that's impossible. You're too young. And you're healthy."

"That doesn't always matter. Today I had that lump biopsied."

"Biopsied? Alone?"

"I thought it was for the best," she said truthfully.

"We'll talk about that in a minute. What did they find?"

"I don't know yet. I have to go back in three days to get the results."

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, a little bit of anger bubbling up. He hated the idea that she didn't trust him enough to tell him what was going on with her.

"Because I didn't want you to worry. Especially if there was nothing to worry about. I wanted to…know for sure first before I told you."

"That's now how a relationship works," he told her.

"I'm sorry, I never meant to hurt you."

"I hate that you've been going through all of this alone."

She shrugged. "I'm ok."

"So at this appointment in three days, you'll find out whether or not you have…"

"Cancer? Yeah."

Her voice wavered as she said the word. She realized she hadn't yet said it out loud. It was the scariest word she had ever said. A tear rolled down her cheek.

"Oh, baby."

Adam gathered her in his arms. She cried against his chest, all of her fear and anxiety from the last few weeks, flowing out of her with her tears. Adam whispered to her that everything was going to be alright. Even though she didn't believe him, it felt good for him to be there in that moment with her.

"I'm sorry," she said, picking her head up. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I'm sorry for falling apart."

"You don't have to be sorry for falling apart. We're going to get through this. Together. Ok?" She nodded. "I'm going with you to that appointment."

"No, you don't have to."  
"There is no way in hell I am letting you go alone."

"But Voight…"

"I don't care about Voight. I care about you. I love you."

"I love you, too."

"And we are in this together from now on. Every step of the way. No matter what happens. Ok?"

"Ok."

"Now, I seem to remember someone saying they were hungry so how about some chicken noodle soup?"  
She smiled. "That sounds amazing."

"Coming right up."  
Adam kissed her on top of her head before walking out of the room. Kim remained at the edge of the bed, staring at her engagement ring. She couldn't help but think things were about to change.

Author's Note: Let me start off by saying this is the first of a two-parter, so there's more to come. I was a little nervous about posting this chapter. I always want to be sensitive to the topic of cancer as I know it effects so many people either directly or indirectly. Somebody suggested I write a story like this a while back and it seemed to fit with his particular theme. Thanks for reading!


	19. Chapter 19 - Scared

**Chapter 19 - Scared**

Scared. Adam felt scared, plain and simple. Only scared didn't seem powerful enough of a word. He was petrified, frightened, terrified, afraid, and worried all in one. But the simplest word to describe how he was feeling was scared.

He was not only scared for Kim's well-being, but he was also scared for their future. He had always known their future as a happy couple could be in jeopardy simply because of their jobs. Adam was always willing to take that risk to be a good cop. And he also knew that falling in love with someone who did the same job meant doubling that risk. The odds that either one or both of them could get hurt while on the job were high. But Adam never considered that it would be something other than their jobs that could take her away from him.

Cancer. The word hurt to even say it loud. Adam had known people who had cancer before, but he had never been so closely effected. He felt helpless, not able to help Kim. He knew she was worried even if she didn't show it. For a month she had kept the fact that she had a lump in her breast a secret. For the three days since she had told Adam about the lump and the subsequent biopsy she had, she acted as if everything were ok. Everything was not ok.

Adam had to remind himself that they didn't know the results from Kim's biopsy yet. It could be negative. They could both be scared and worrying for no reason. Then again, it could also be positive. Both their lives could change forever in a matter of hours.

Adam was wide awake, staring at the clock. It was 4:18 AM. He couldn't sleep. He looked over at Kim beside him. Her chest was slowly moving up and down. Adam was glad that she was sleeping. She hadn't been doing much of that since she told him the news. All night he had felt her tossing and turning beside him.

Not wanting to wake her, Adam slowly peeled the blankets off of him and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He got up, grabbed his phone from where it was charging on the nightstand, and quietly tiptoed into the kitchen. He started a pot of coffee, knowing he would need at least two or three cups to start his morning. While the coffee brewed, Adam leaned against the kitchen counter. He looked at his phone. He wished he could call someone. He wished he could just talk to someone about how he was feeling, but he knew he couldn't. Kim had asked him to keep it a secret that she had even had the biopsy. She wanted to know what the results were before she started telling others. Adam knew it was the right move, but it sucked that his best friends were also the ones that he and Kim worked with so he couldn't tell them.

Adam's cell phone began to buzz. So startled, Adam nearly dropped it. He looked at the incoming number, knowing it could only be a small handful of people that would be calling him at four in the morning. It was Olinsky.

"Yeah," Adam said, answering the phone.

"Did I wake you?" Olinsky asked.

"No."

"Why not? It's four AM."  
"What's up?" Adam wondered, wanting to get to the point of the conversation. He had a feeling that Voight was calling them all in on a new case. The time of day didn't matter when it came to Intelligence.

"We caught a case. Drugs and weapons. Voight wants us all in within the hour."

"I can't," Adam stated.

"Why not?"

Adam sighed. He knew he couldn't tell Olinsky the truth. "I have somewhere I have to be."  
"This is Voight giving this command. You know that, right?"

"Tell Voight I can't come in today."

"What? Are you taking a sick day or something?"  
"Yeah."  
"We don't get sick days in Intelligence."  
"Look…it's important."  
Somehow Adam knew that Olinsky could tell by the tone in Adam's voice that he meant it. Without having to say anything else, Adam knew Olinsky wouldn't press him further.

"Ok."

"Tell Voight I'll be in touch," Adam said.

"Alright."

"Thanks."

"Hey Ruzek…"

"Yeah?"

"Good luck. With whatever it is that you're doing today. It sounds like you're going to need it."

"Thanks."

Adam hung up the phone.

"Who was that?" Kim asked.

He turned around and saw her standing in the doorway of the bedroom.

"Did I wake you? I'm sorry."

"It's ok. Who was on the phone?"  
"Olinsky. Voight's calling us all in."

"Oh," she said.

"I'm not going," he stated.

"Adam, you should go."

"No. They can handle whatever it is without me."  
"You don't need to come with me today," Kim continued. "I'll be fine alone."

"There is no way I'm letting you go in there alone. You shouldn't have been doing any of this alone." Kim crossed her arms, hugging her body. Adam guessed she was cold. He approached her. "Come on, let's go back to bed. We still have a few hours before the appointment."

She shook her head. "No."

"Alright, I brewed coffee. I can make us some breakfast and we can…"

Adam cut himself off when he got close enough to Kim to notice she was holding her engagement ring. It wasn't on her finger like it had been for months. She was gripping it between her thumb and index finger. Somehow Adam knew that that wasn't a good sign. Something was wrong.

"I had a dream last night," Kim began. "I was lying in a hospital bed. I had lost all of my hair. I was sickly. I…I looked like a skeleton. And you came in the room. I was so happy to see you. But then you…you looked at me with such…disdain in your eyes. Such hate. And you kept asking me 'why.' Why did I make you stay? Why did I put you through all of this? And then you walked away from me and I woke up."

"Oh babe, that wasn't a dream. That was a nightmare. You know I'd never…"

Kim held out the ring to him.

"Take it," she stated.

"What are you doing?" Adam asked, staring at the engagement ring that he had meticulously chosen out of all the rings in the world because he knew Kim would love it and it would look amazing on her hand for the rest of her life.

"Giving it back."

"I don't understand."

"Please. Just take it."  
"No."

Kim walked over to the kitchen table and put the ring down.

"I need to go," she said quietly.

She attempted to grab her bag from the hall closet. Adam cut her off immediately.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

Adam, please…" she begged, trying to not meet his eyes.

"You can't just walk away from me. You can't walk away from this. Talk to me. I know you're scared about all of this, but I…"

"I'm scared for you," she said.

"What are you talking about?"  
"I don't know what's going to happen at that appointment today. If that test comes back positive….if I have cancer…"

"You don't."

"You don't know that. I know you want to try and stay happy and cheerful, but the reality is we don't know. And if the biopsy comes back positive…" she trailed off, trying not to think about the fact that in a few hours her whole life could change.

"Then we'll deal with it," Adam finished. He tried to hold her hand, but she stepped back away from him.

"You're a good person, Adam. A good man. And I know if I have cancer, you'll stay with me."

"Of course I will," he insisted.  
"But I don't want you to have to stay with me. And I know that's how you'll feel. Because you're not that guy who would break up with fiancé who has cancer. I don't want you to stay with me because you feel guilty or because you feel like you have to. I don't want you to be stuck with a fiancé who has cancer."  
"Is this all because of that dream? Babe, it was a bad dream. I would never leave you like that."

"That's the problem!" She shouted, tears streaming down her face. "You would never leave me. And I can't do that to you. I don't ever want you to regret your decision to stay with me. And I don't ever want you to resent me. So I'm taking that decision away. I'm letting you off the hook."

"No. I don't accept that."

"It's not your choice."

"It is my choice! I love you. I want to be there for you no matter what happens. I am not leaving you. Not now. Not ever. Trust me when I say that we are going to get through this together. Every step of the way."

A tear rolled down Adam's cheek. Kim stepped towards him. She took his hand.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"I've never been more sure about anything in my entire life. I love you."

"I love you too. But if you change your mind. If you can't do this with me, I need you to be honest. I need you to tell me…"

"I'm not going to change my mind. You're everything to me. You're my one and only."

He wrapped his arms around, embracing her in the tightest hug they could both stand. He wanted her to know how much he loved her. He wanted to make sure she knew she would never be alone.

Four Hours Later

Kim sat on an exam room table, this time fully clothed and this time not alone. Adam sat on a stool beside her, their hands entwined. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed each knuckle.

"You ok?" He asked.

"As good as can be expected."

"Remember, whatever happens, I'm here."

She smiled. "Thank you. For everything. I know I've been crazy and…"

"I love you," he interrupted. "Just remember that."

The door to the exam room opened. A female doctor and the same nurse Kim had seen before entered the room. The doctor was holding a thin envelope in her hand. Adam took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.

"Hi Kim, how are you doing today?" The doctor asked.

"Eager to find out my results," Kim answered.

"Of course." The doctor smiled.

"Hi, I'm Adam, Kim's fiancé," Adam said, shaking the doctor's hand.

"It's nice to finally meet you. Well, let's get to it, shall we?"  
"Yes," Kim replied. "Please."

Adam squeezed Kim's hand. They both took a deep breath.

"I am very happy to tell you that the biopsy results were negative," the doctor told them.

"I don't have cancer?" Kim asked in a near whisper.

"No. You do not have cancer."

Adam jumped out of his seat. He wanted to cheer and shout, but he managed to refrain. He looked at Kim. They were both smiling.

"You see, I told you," he said.

"For once I'm glad you were right."

Not caring that they had an audience, he planted a kiss right on her lips. He couldn't contain his excitement.

"That is the best news I've ever heard," Adam said.

"Well, I'd say you two should go out and celebrate," the nurse chimed in.

"I think we'll do just that," Adam agreed.

"Before you go, I know you're a bit young, Kim, but I would like to recommend you start having yearly mammograms," the doctor explained. "This way in case anything does show up, we can catch it early.

"Of course," Kim agreed.

"But seeing as how there's no family history of cancer, I would remain pretty optimistic that you'll be ok," the doctor continued.

"Thank you, doctor," Kim said.

"I'm happy to deliver good news," the doctor told them. "You take care now."

"Thank you," Adam said.

The doctor and the nurse left the room. Kim hopped off the exam table and into Adam's arms. He kissed her again, this time with more passion now that they were alone.

"I'm ok," Kim whispered.

"Yeah, you are."

"You…you should go into work. Voight will want…"

"Work? That's what you're thinking about right now?"

Kim laughed. "I'm sorry. I just want things to go back to normal."  
"Well, I think we both deserve the rest of today off. Work can wait until tomorrow."

"Ok," she agreed.

"Come on, let's go celebrate like the doctor ordered."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Well, seeing as how neither of us really ate anything this morning. I was thinking brunch?" He suggested.

"I have a better idea."

"What's that?"

"Brunch in bed?"  
He laughed. "Yes. That is a much better idea."  
They joined hands and walked out, their future together wide open ahead of them.

Author's Note: Hope everyone was happy with this conclusion. There's more to come so stay tuned!


	20. Chapter 20 - Enchanted

**Chapter 20 – Enchanted**

"Enchanted! Enchanted! Enchanted!"

Kim downed her second aspirin as the chanting continued. Her niece, Zoe, was jumping up and down in the middle of Kim's living room, saying the name of her favorite movie over and over again.

"We've already watched it three times this weekend," Kim told her.

"I want to watch it again," Zoe replied.

"Can't we watch something else?"

"You don't have cable."

"So…we'll find something else," Kim said.

"You don't even have Netflix!"

"Why don't we play a game?" Kim suggested.

"You don't have any board games."

"That's because I'm never home."  
"Since you don't have any other movies and you don't have any board games, why can't I watch Enchanted again?"

"Because we've already watched it three times!"

"But it's my favorite movie. Please?" Zoe begged.

Fine!" Kim exclaimed, finally giving in.

"Yes!"

Zoe turned on the TV and pressed play on the DVD. The movie started immediately. She sat down on the couch, mesmerized. Kim went into the kitchen to start cleaning up from the cookies they had baked together earlier. She never knew that a girl could make such a big mess in such a small kitchen.

As she began washing the pans they used, Adam walked into the kitchen. He was freshly showered, wearing a pair of faded Jeans and a plain, black shirt. He left just a hint of stubble on his chin. To Kim he looked incredibly sexy.

"Is she watching that movie again?" Adam asked.

"I told her no, but…" she trailed off as Adam laughed. "What?"

"Somehow you can take down bad guys with guns, but you can't stand up to your niece?"

"She's very persistent."  
"I guess so."

"Start drying," she instructed, pointing to the dishes she had washed that were sitting in the strainer. Adam grabbed a dishtowel and began to dry the pans. He couldn't help but notice Kim's engagement ring sitting on the counter next to the sink. He knew she always took it off before she washed the dishes.

"You're going to knock that into the sink one of these days and it's going to go down the drain," Adam warned.

"I'm very careful."

"Well, I'm not buying you another one," he said with a smile.

"Aunty Kim, can I have a cookie now?" Zoe asked.

"Sure. They should be cool enough. I'll bring a plate in a minute."

"Could I have some milk, too?"

"Sure, sweetheart."

Kim dried her hands and walked over to the table where the cookies were cooling. She grabbed a spatula and a plate.

"You're so good with her," Adam commented.

"Why? Because I'm getting her cookies?"

"No. Because you care. Because you've been an amazing all weekend. Zoe's lucky to have you."

"It would be more amazing if it would stop raining. It figures the one weekend my sister goes away and leaves Zoe with us, it starts monsooning in Chicago."

"I think she's had fun despite the rain."  
"I hope so."

Kim scooped four cookies onto a small plate. She got two plastic cups from the cupboard and took the milk out of the refrigerator.

"I'll finish cleaning the kitchen," Adam offered. "Go watch the movie with Zoe."

"You're only offering to clean up because you don't want to watch it."  
"Maybe."

Kim poured two glasses of milk. She brought the milks and the plate of cookies over to the couch. She sat next to Zoe, putting the cookies and the milks on the coffee table. Zoe grabbed a cookie and snuggled up against Kim. Kim put her arm around her niece and settled in to watch the movie for the fourth time in thirty-six hours.

"Aunty Kim?" Zoe said.

"Yes?"

"Do you and Adam sleep in the same bed together?"  
Kim nearly spit out the milk she was sipping on. Adam immediately perked up to listen in.

"Yes, we do," Kim answered, wondering where the conversation was going. She didn't want to lie to Zoe, but she also knew there were some things her young niece didn't need to know.

"Because you like him?"  
"Because I love him," Kim corrected.

"I want to be in love and sleep in the same bed with someone someday."

"Not until you're older. Much older."

"I want a Prince Charming," Zoe continued.

"You'll get your Prince Charming someday. But I want you to remember that there's more to life than just finding your Prince Charming. You have to create your own happiness. You have to be strong and kind and respect yourself. Then your prince will come."

"Is Adam you're Prince Charming?"

"Yes, he is," Kim answered.

Adam smiled from the kitchen.

"When are you and Adam getting married?" She asked.

"We haven't decided yet, sweetie."

"But you are getting married, right?"  
"Yes."

"When are you going to have kids?"

This time it was Adam who choked on the cookie he was eating. Kim looked back at him. He looked away, not meeting her eyes. They had talked about kids a few times. They knew they both wanted children eventually, but they were also both focused on their careers.

"Ah…I don't know," Kim answered truthfully.

"Well, I'd like a cousin."

"You have a cousin on your dad's side. Tommy."

"Tommy picks his nose and eats it."

Kim laughed. "You have a point."

"So are you going to have kids?"

"Let's just watch the movie."

"Aunty Kim?" Zoe said a few minutes later.

"Yes Zoe?"  
"I love you."

Kim smiled. "I love you too."  
Zoe leaned her head on Kim's shoulder while they finished the movie.

Two Hours Later

Zoe was standing by the door with her backpack on her pack and a stuffed bear tucked under her arm. Kim grabbed her jacket from the nearby coat closet.

"You all ready?" She asked Zoe.

"Can't I stay just one more night?" Zoe pleaded.

"You have school tomorrow. And I'm sure your mom and dad miss you."

"But I like staying here."  
"Then we'll just have to plan another sleepover now won't we?"  
"Yes!"

Kim turned to look at Adam. He was standing in the kitchen, munching on yet another cookie. He was still barefoot. She stared at him quizzically, wondering why he wasn't ready to go.

"Are you coming?" She asked.

"Sorry. Can't. Voight called. He needs us to come in."  
"On a Sunday?"

"Crime doesn't stop just because it's the weekend."

"I thought we were going to visit with my sister for a little while and then grab dinner tonight."  
"We will," Adam assured her. "This won't take long."  
"Everything involving Voight takes long."  
"I'll call you later, ok? Drive safe."

"Ok."

"Bye Adam," Zoe said.

"Bye squirt."  
"Alright, let's go," Kim said, opening the door.

"Hey, Adam," Zoe called.

"Yeah?"

"Since you and Aunty Kim are getting married, can I start calling you Uncle Adam?"  
Adam smiled. "Sure, squirt. I like the sound of that."

"Me too," Zoe agreed. "See you later, Uncle Adam."

"Bye."

Kim smiled back at Adam before following her niece into the hallway. As soon as the door was closed, Adam pulled out his phone. Voight hadn't messaged him, but he did have a plan and he needed to be away from Kim to make it happen.

Three Hours Later

Kim returned home after visiting with her sister and her brother-in-law. Zoe regaled them with tales of how awesome it was to spend the weekend at Aunty Kim's house. Kim's sister told Kim all about the romantic bed and breakfast her and her husband spent the weekend at. Kim couldn't help but be a little jealous. She enjoyed having her niece over and wouldn't have traded their time together for anything, but she also missed spending one-on-one time with Adam. Even though they lived together, sometimes it seemed like they barely spent any actual time together.

"I'm home!" Kim called, walking into their apartment. She didn't really expect a response. Adam was most likely still at work. Kim hung up her coat, thankful that the rain seemed to finally be over. She was about to flop down on the couch to watch something other than the movie _Enchanted_ when she saw something small and red on the ground. Kim went over to investigate. It was a rose pedal. But it wasn't just one. There were dozens of them, all in a line. Confused, Kim followed the pedals. They led into the bedroom. A dozen red roses were on the bedside table in a crystal vase. There were two white boxes on the bed, tied with a red ribbon. They each had a small note attached. She sat down on the edge of the bed and picked up the box that said 'open me first.' With a smile on her face, Kim opened the first box. She didn't know what to expect. Adam had never done anything romantic like that before. Inside the box was a red dress. Kim pulled it out of the box. It was a simple, but pretty dress. She stood up and held it up to her body. It was knee-length, the top coming down in a plunging V-neck. It still had the tags on, although the price had been blacked out. Kim knew why Adam chose it. It showed more skin than she usually chose to show. As she went back to the bed, she saw an envelope that must have fallen on the ground when she picked up the dress. Kim grabbed the envelope and opened it. Inside was a short note.

'Meet me at City Park at eight o'clock.'

"What are you up to?" Kim wondered out loud.

Laying the dress out neatly on the bed so it wouldn't wrinkle, Kim took the second box in her hands. She opened it. Whatever was inside was covered with white tissue paper. On top was a second envelope. She opened it.

'You can choose.'

Unsure of what the note meant, Kim peeled back the layers of the tissue paper. Underneath was a black dress. As she held it up, she noticed it was shorter than the first, but didn't reveal as much cleavage. She smiled. Adam had a nice taste in dresses.

Kim looked over at the clock. It was almost seven. She didn't have much time to get ready. Although she didn't know what she was in store for, she didn't want to disappoint. Dropping the dress on the bed, Kim ran into the bathroom to take a quick shower and get herself all dolled up for her Prince Charming.

At 8:00 sharp, Kim climbed out of a taxi in the middle of North Michigan Avenue. Although the rain had stopped, the ground was still littered with puddles. In her three-inch heels, she had to step around quite a few small pools of water. She held her wrap a little tighter around her shoulders, the cool breeze causing her to shiver. She looked around, searching for Adam.

"For my princess," he said.

She whirled around and saw her walking towards him. He was standing in front of a horse drawn carriage. Kim couldn't help but smile. He was standing in a classic black suit, holding a bouquet of one dozen red roses. Kim walked over to him.

"Adam, I…"  
"You look stunning."

Kim unwrapped the wrap from her shoulders, showing off the red dress she chose. It fit her perfectly, hugging her in all the right places. Although she had to rush, she had given herself a smoky eye look with makeup. She had curled her hair just enough to give it a light bounce. Adam nearly drooled at the sight of her. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.

"You have good taste," she complimented.

"I'm secretly glad you chose the red one."

"I knew you would be," she teased. "So what are we doing here?"

"I am taking you on a romantic date. Like a Prince Charming should."

"We always laugh at the tourists who take carriage rides."

"Well, today, we won't be laughing." He offered her his hand. "Come on up, Princess Kim."

"Are you really going to call me that all night?" She asked.

"I don't know, it has a nice ring to it."

"If you want to see what's under this dress, you'll stop calling me that," she whispered into his ear.

"Deal."

Kim took his hand and she climbed up into the back of the carriage. Adam joined her. With a blanket placed over their laps and Adam's arm around Kim, the driver took off. Adam reached into a cooler at their feet. He took out a bottle of champagne and two glasses. He uncorked the champagne with a pop and poured them each a glass of bubbly.

"To us," Adam said, raising his glass.

"To my Prince Charming."

"I think I could get used to being called that."

They toasted and each took a sip.

"This is amazing," Kim said.

"I guess you could say that movie inspired me."

"Then I guess you can say I'm very enchanted." The both laughed. "Voight didn't call you today, did he?"

"Nope. I've been working on this all afternoon. From here we'll have a romantic dinner and then back home for some more romance. Which reminds me, what exactly are you wearing under that exceptionally gorgeous dress?"

Kim leaned in to whisper to him. "Nothing."

Adam shivered and it wasn't from the cold. He tucked his hand under the blanket and put it on Kim's knee.

"Maybe we'll skip the romantic dinner," he said.

She smiled. "Maybe." She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Thank you for this."

"You're welcome."

"I love you."

"I love you, too," he said. "But you can't ever tell the guys we did this."  
She laughed. "Deal."

She sealed her promise with a kiss. 

Author's Note: Sometimes all you need is a little fluff. Hope you liked it!


	21. Chapter 21 - Loved

**Chapter 21 – Loved**

 _Loved. That's how I want you to feel in this moment._

 _The moment before we become husband and wife._

 _I want you to know that you are loved and that you will always be loved._

 _You are everything to me._

 _In this whole world, there is no one I would rather be with than you._

 _I can't wait to start our life together._

 _Love, Adam._

Kim read the note a second time, tears welling up in her eyes.

"What is it?" Her sister asked from across the room.

"A note," Kim answered, unable to take her eyes from the words.

"From who?"

"Adam."

"Oh my God. He better not be calling this off."

"No. No. It's a love note," Kim told her.

"I didn't know Adam was the love note kind of guy."

"Me either."

"What does it say?"

Kim folded it back up. She looked around, thinking about what she wanted to do with it. It seemed too important to just leave in her bag. Kim looked down at the beautiful floral bouquet that was propped up beside her. She picked it up and tucked the note inside the ribbon that was tying the stems of the flowers together. The note was perfectly hidden.

"It's private," Kim said.

"Oh come on, I'm your sister."

"And some things are meant to be kept between a man and his wife."

"You're not his wife yet," her sister mumbled. "When did he have time to slip you a note? You guys haven't seen each other since last night."

"It was in the flowers," Kim explained. "He must have tucked it in there when the florist delivered the mens' butineers."

"Well, just don't start getting all blubbery. You'll ruin your makeup."

Kim smiled. She gripped her bouquet of white and blue flowers, her hand wrapping around the ribbon that had the note hidden underneath. She liked the idea that she was carrying the note down the aisle with her.

Kim looked in the full length mirror at herself. Although she wasn't a vain person, even she had to admit that she looked beautiful. Her strapless, white dress was done in lace, hugging her upper body, but then cascading down in beautiful ruffles at her waist. The lacing continued down a long train behind her. It wasn't an overly elaborate dress, but it was just what Kim wanted. Her brown hair was curled and pulled back away from her face, but still left flowing down her back. She wore pearl earrings and a pearl necklace, borrowed from her sister, which she had worn to her own wedding. Her makeup had been done expertly, a little coverup, a little mascara, eyeliner, and eye shadow to brighten and enhance her natural eye color, and a bright red lip. Although the morning had been crazy getting ready, Kim couldn't have been happier with the results. She felt beautiful. She hoped Adam thought the same thing when he saw her.

Surprisingly, Kim had felt calm most of the morning. She had heard horror stories of brides feeling like they were going to vomit the day of their wedding. Or worse, she had heard stories of brides who realized they had made a terrible mistake. Kim felt none of those feelings. All she felt was a calmness. She knew what she and Adam were doing was right. He was the only man she had ever really loved, but it was more than that. He was her best friend. She wanted it to be that way for the rest of her life and he wanted the same. Finding and reading his note only made her more sure. She was ready to become his wife.

"What time is it?" Kim asked.

"Ten of two," her sister answered. "We've got ten minutes."

Kim turned to look at her sister. She was in a blue, short dress, her hair and makeup also done to perfection. Kim had made the decision early on that she only wanted her sister standing up for her. Although she had several friends she could have asked, neither she nor Adam wanted a big wedding party. Kim was happy she chose only her sister. It had been fun planning the wedding and going dress shopping with her. They had grown closer because of it.

"You look beautiful," Kim complimented.

"Oh honey, you're the one who's going to steal the show. Adam's not going to be able to take his eyes off you."

"I hope so," Kim whispered.

Holding up her dress so she wouldn't trip on it, Kim walked over to the place she had left her shoes. Heels had never been Kim's favorite thing to walk in. She found them impractical and uncomfortable, but from the moment she saw the pair of shoes through a store window on the streets of downtown Chicago, she knew she had to have them. Kim slipped her feet into the open-toed, blue shoes. The heel was about three inches. When she dropped her dress, it fell perfectly to the floor. She took a few practice steps, getting used to the heels. She had already worn them around the apartment when Adam wasn't home, trying to get used to them so that she wouldn't look like a fool on her wedding day. Her sister told her she was crazy for wearing blue shoes under her wedding dress, but she didn't care. She loved them. And they were perfect for her 'something blue.'

Kim looked at herself in the mirror once more. She thought of the note tucked away as part of the bouquet and it reminded her of how she and Adam had gotten to the point they were at. They certainly didn't have a storybook romance, but Kim didn't care. They had met when Adam was engaged to someone else. Looking back, Kim was grateful for that. If Adam had been free and available, they might have jumped into something too soon. With him being engaged, they were forced to become friends first. When Adam did break off his relationship with his fiance, they started seeing each other, but it had been kept a secret. After Kim was shot, they finally admitted their true feelings to one another and their relationship was brought out into the open. Another eight months after that, Adam proposed and Kim, of course, said yes. It took them a year to settle on a date and make all of the wedding plans, but it was finally here. After the best two years of her life, doing the job that she loved with the man she loved alongside her, she and Adam were finally going to make it official and become husband and wife.

"You ready?" Kim's sister asked her.

"Yes."

"Then let's get you married."

Kim turned around and noticed her sister wiping a tear from her cheek.

"Don't go soft on me," Kim said. "You'll ruin your makeup."

"I can't help it. My little sister is getting married."

Kim rushed over to her sister and gave her a big hug.

"I love you," Kim whispered.

"I love you, too. Now come on, we wouldn't want to keep that handsome groom of yours waiting."

With her sister helping lift up the back of her dress, Kim made her way out of the bridal suite. They walked down a long corridor before they came to a door. It led right outside. It was the last stop before she'd walk down the aisle. Kim's father met her at the door.

"You look beautiful, sweetheart," he commented.

"Thanks daddy."

He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Oh! The veil! We forgot the veil!" Kim's sister exclaimed. She raced back to the room they had both gotten ready in. Within seconds, she was back, Kim's veil floating behind her. Her sister expertly put it on top of Kim's head, fluffing it out so it looked perfect cascading down her back.

"What would I do without you?" Kim asked.

Her sister took her place in front of Kim.

"I don't know, but you better step aside unless you want everyone to see you."

Kim scurried off so she was hidden behind a wall. The door was opened and they could hear music being played. Kim's sister began walking down the aisle, remembering to walk slowly, but steadily.

From her vantage point, Kim could see a little of what was going on outside. There was a flowered arch over where the justice of the peace stood. All of the guests were sitting in white folding chairs. The area was full of beautiful flowers of all colors. There was a lake in the background with a water feature shooting straight into the sky. It was a picturesque location and it fit their needs perfectly. Being only thirty minutes outside of the city meant every one of their family and friends could attend. That's what was most important to them both. The reception would be held inside where there was plenty of room for their one hundred guests. They had a DJ ready to go as well as a stocked bar. As soon as Kim had seen the place, she knew it was meant for them. She couldn't imagine getting married in a more beautiful place.

Kim took a deep breath. She knew she was next. After she got a nod from the wedding planner, signaling that her sister had reached the end and had taken her place to the right of the justice of the peace, Kim knew it was her turn. She and her father stepped in front of the doorway. They began to walk slowly. As she made her way down the aisle, Kim knew she was surrounded by the people she loved most. Her family was in the crowd as well as all of the members of Intelligence, but Kim barely paid attention to them. All she focused on was Adam. He was standing at the end of the aisle, a huge smile on his face. He looked amazing in his black tuxedo, his face clean shaven, his hair tamed. Atwater stood beside him as his best man, looking dapper. He put a hand on Adam's shoulder as Adam wiped away a tear. Kim smiled, her own tears falling. When she reached him, she gave her father a kiss on the cheek and then took Adam's hand as they had practiced at the wedding rehearsal the night before. She couldn't stop staring at him. He couldn't stop staring at her.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered.

Her smile grew even larger.

"Welcome everyone," the justice of the peace said. "We are here today to celebrate the union of Kimberly and Adam. Two people who have promised to give their hearts to each other. "

As the justice of the peace continued his speech, Kim couldn't help but tune him out. She simply got lost in Adam's eyes. She felt like he had never looked at her quite the way he was looking at her in that moment. She wanted to cherish it forever.

"I love you," Adam mouthed the words. Clearly he wasn't paying attention to the justice of the peace either.

Kim smiled. "I love you too."

"Now, the couple has chosen to write their own vows," the justice of the peace said a few minutes later. "Kimberly, you may go first."

"Adam, when I look at my future, I see you. I see us together as one. I vow not just to grow old together, but to grow together. I promise to love you unconditionally. You are my best friend, my partner, my lover and I promise to be by your side all the days and nights of my life. I know sometimes we disagree, but I promise to work with you to solve every argument. I love you, Adam. I can't wait to start our life together."

Adam had to wipe a tear from his cheek. The justice of the peace gestured for Adam to begin speaking next. Adam cleared his throat, trying to keep his emotions in check. He did not want to turn into a blubbering fool.

"Kim, the last thing I wanted or needed when I met you was to fall in love with you." The crowd chuckled. "But I couldn't help it. You are everything I've ever wanted and everything I didn't know even know I wanted. I vow to listen even when you're freaking out about nothing." Kim laughed. "I promise to celebrate your triumphs with you and be there with you when things don't go your way. I promise to laugh with you and maybe sometimes at you. And even though you may hate it sometimes, I promise to protect you from all the evils in the world. Lastly I vow to never stop loving you."

Kim had tears streaming down her face. She didn't even bother to wipe them away.

"May we have the rings please?" The justice of the peace asked.

Atwater stepped up with both wedding rings and handed them to the justice of the peace.

"Repeat after me," the man said, handing Adam the ring that he would put on Kim's finger. Adam took Kim's hand. "With this ring, I thee wed."

"With this ring, I thee wed," Adam said, slipping the ring easily onto Kim's hand.

The justice of the peace handed Kim Adam's ring. "Repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed."  
"With this ring, I thee wed," Kim whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek. She put the ring on Adam's finger.

"With that, I am proud to announce you to be husband and wife. You may kiss the bride," he said.

Adam wasted no time. He wrapped his arm around Kim and pulled her towards him. He crashed his lips onto hers, wanting to kiss her breathless. It wasn't what they had practiced. They were going to have a quick, chaste kiss in front of their family and friends, but Adam couldn't help himself. And Kim was glad. This was the kiss that was going to set the tone for the rest of their lives together and Kim was glad it was a good one. Their friends and family cheered. Finally, they broke apart, both breathless.

"I love you," Adam said.

"I love you, too."

More tears sprang to Kim's eyes as Adam grabbed her hand. They walked down the aisle together, finally husband and wife. Atwater and Kim's sister followed behind them arm in arm. When they got back to the building, Adam and Kim were whisked inside, back to the bridal suite. As soon as the door closed behind them and they had a little privacy, Adam wrapped both his arms around her and kissed her until they were forced to come up for air.

"You are so beautiful," Adam said.

"You're looking pretty handsome yourself."

Adam took her hand and spun her around so he could see from all angles. She was perfect.

"We did it," he said. "We're married."

"It feels…"

"Right."

She smiled. "That's what I was going to say."

"See, we're meant to be."

With her heels on, she was almost Adam's height. She pressed her lips against his. He kissed a trail down her neck.

"Everyone's waiting for us," Kim panted.

"Let them wait."

Adam pinned her against the wall, his hand holding her hips steady. He kissed her with an unbridled passion. He didn't care that their family and friends were just in the other room waiting for them. All he wanted was his wife.

The door to the suite opened. Kim's sister walked in.

"Sorry to interrupt," she said.

Kim's cheeks turned pink. Adam backed away from her, but kept his hand at her waist.

"It's ok," Kim said.

"The photographers are waiting for you, but you should probably fix your makeup. And Adam, you should probably wipe the lipstick off."

Both Adam and Kim turned to the mirror and laughed.

Several hours later, the wedding reception was just winding down. It had been a phenomenal party. After Adam and Kim had dozens of photos taken together, including some with their families and Kim's sister and Atwater, they made their first official appearance as husband and wife. They visited with all of their guests, ate a delicious meal, and danced the night away. Adam barely let go of her. By the end of the night, they were exhausted, but happy. They had danced their last dance. The DJ was beginning to pack up. There were only a few guests left, most of them members of the Intelligence team. Kim was standing in front of the sweetheart table talking to her sister, her shoes having been kicked off hours earlier. Adam watched her from across the room, talking to Voight.

"I'm happy for your, Adam," Voight said.

"I know you're serious when you use my first name."

Voight clapped him on the back. "Take care of her."

"I plan on it."

"And have fun at that honeymoon. I'll expect you back to work in tip top shape."

"Yes, sir."

They hugged quickly before Voight walked away. Adam walked over to Kim. He gave her a look and she knew exactly what he wanted. It was time for them to move on to the second part of their evening and it didn't include anybody else. They quickly made their way around the room, saying goodbye to the last lingering guests. When they were done, Adam led Kim outside where a limo was waiting. They climbed in. Adam's lips were on hers before the door even closed.

"Wait 'til we get to the hotel," Kim told him, even though she was really enjoying his assault on her lips.

"I don't think I can. You've been teasing me in this dress all day."

She smiled. "That was the idea."

Thankfully the hotel they had booked was only a few miles down the road. After a short drive, the limo pulled into the parking lot. The driver opened the door for them both. Kim's sister had checked them in earlier and had dropped off their luggage. Adam was grateful that they didn't have to stop and talk to anyone. They made their way to the elevator and up to their room. As Kim put the key card in the lock, Adam scooped her up. She giggled and he carried her across the threshold into their room. Adam gently placed her on the bed, crawling on top of her.

"You are so beautiful and sexy and incredibly hot," he said, his lips just inches from hers.

"Well, you haven't seen my something new yet," she replied.

He whimpered like an excited puppy. "I love you."

"I love you too."

They didn't talk for the rest of the night.

Author's Note: I know it has been a while since I last updated. I've just been so busy with real life! Thank you for sticking with me. There's two more chapters to go!


	22. Chapter 22 - Bliss

**Chapter 22 - Bliss**

Bliss. That was the only word Kim Burgess could use to describe how she felt as she stepped into her backyard watching her husband play with their six-year old son. They were tossing a baseball back and forth. It was a cool summer afternoon. Kim couldn't help but smile.

"Mom's home!" Seth yelled, running across the grass towards Kim. She opened her arms and he ran full force into her, wrapping his arms around her body.

"Careful buddy," Adam warned.

"Hi mom! Dad was showing me how to catch."

"That's great, honey."  
"Watch me!"

Seth raced across the backyard. He hopped onto one of the swings of the wooden swing set they had put up a few summers before and began to swing as high as he possible could.

"Great job!" Kim called.

Adam dropped the baseball and mitt he was using and walked over to Kim.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey."  
"How was your class?"

"Good."

"Do you need to sit?" He asked.

"No. I'm going to start dinner soon. I was thinking spaghetti and meatballs?"

"Sounds good."

"Are you watching?" Seth yelled

"We're watching, bud," Adam replied. He stood behind Kim and wrapped his arms around her. They both watched their son jump from the swing. He tumbled on the soft grass, laughing.

"Nice jump!" Kim exclaimed. "But be careful."

"I will," Seth said as he went to try the trick all over again.

"Did you ever think we'd be here?" Kim asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, did you ever think when we first met that one day we'd be happily married for ten years with a beautiful family?"

"No. But I sure as hell am glad that we ended up this way."

"Me too," she agreed. Adam kissed her on the top of her head, tightening his arms around her. "You know, sometimes I think back to that day, back to that doctor's visit. That's when our whole lives changed..."

Four Years Earlier

Adam and Kim sat in identical chairs in front of a large, oak desk. They had been waiting for ten minutes. It was the longest ten minutes of both of their lives. Adam couldn't stop twitching while Kim sat incredibly still. Her mouth felt dry, her hands sweaty. Adam glanced over at his wife. She was staring straight ahead, her eyes trained on a diploma in a fancy frame on the wall. It was one of many.

"Hey," Adam said, getting her attention. "Whatever happens, it's going to be ok."  
"I know," she replied quietly.

"I love you."

She finally looked over at him. "I love you too."  
Adam covered her hand with his. The door to the large office opened. Startled, Kim jumped.

"I'm sorry I'm running a few minutes behind," the doctor said. He swept by them wearing his usual lab coat, a file folder in his hand. He sat at his desk, put the folder down, and opened it.

"That's ok," Adam said.  
"Well, I've been looking over your tests and medically, there's nothing wrong with either of you."  
"What?" Kim asked, disappointed.

"That's good news," the doctor explained. "Usually people are thrilled to hear that they're healthy."

"We've been trying to get pregnant for over two years," Adam told him. "If there's nothing wrong with us, then why haven't we gotten pregnant?"  
"That's impossible for me to say."  
"Then what can you say?" Adam asked angrily.

"Adam…" Kim warned, trying to get him to keep his voice down. She knew it wasn't the doctor's fault.

"I'm sorry," Adam apologized.

"It's ok. I understand your frustration. Trust me, I've had people come in here and threaten to punch me if I didn't give them the news they wanted. But, Mr. Ruzek, your sperm count came back completely normal."

"What about my eggs?" Kim asked. "Or my uterus?"

"As I said, we can't find any medical reason why you can't pregnant."

"Is it my age?" Kim asked quietly.

Adam squeezed her hand.

"Age can play a factor, but you're only thirty-four and you're very healthy so I don't think that's it. I'm sorry I don't have the answer you're looking for. Sometimes it just takes time. Or sometimes…"

"It never happens at all," Kim whispered.

"That is a possibility. I would suggest you stop trying for a little while. Just go about your lives. Sometimes we find when couples stop trying, they're more likely to conceive."  
"And if that doesn't work?" Adam wondered.

"There's always the possibility of invetro fertilization."

"Like when you use a turkey baster?" Adam asked.

"It's a little more complicated than that, but yes. I should warn you, though, that invetro is expensive and it doesn't always work. I've had women go in five or six times and never get pregnant. It can be a difficult process." The doctor opened his top drawer and took out a brochure. He slid it across the table towards Adam and Kim. "Look, why don't you take this home and look it over. It has some good information in it. Then we can meet again if invetro is something you think you're interested in."

"Thank you," Kim said. She stood up, obviously done with the conversation.

"If you have any questions, feel free to call my office."

"Thanks, doc," Adam said. He grabbed the brochure and stood up. He shook the doctor's hand across the desk.

"I mean it, call me with anything you need."

Kim managed a small smile before she stood up. Adam put his hand on her lower back and they walked out of the room together. She started walking ahead of him towards the elevator.

"Kim," Adam said, wanting to talk. He had to jog to keep up with her.

"I have a shift in an hour."  
"Call Platt and tell her you're not coming in."

She shook her head. "No."

"You can't go to work like this."  
"I'm fine."

"That's bull and you know it."

"Drop me off at the station on your way home," she insisted.

"Kim…"  
"Please," she begged. "We can talk later. I promise. Right now, though, I need to work."  
He nodded. "Ok. I love you."

She pressed the button for the elevator. "I love you, too," she whispered.

Ten Hours Later

Kim finished brushing her wet hair and put the brush back in the medicine cabinet above the sink. She stared at her reflection in the foggy mirror. Having just gotten out of the shower, her skin looked refreshed and clean. She knew thirty-four wasn't old, but she couldn't help but see a few lines here and there on her face that hadn't been there in her twenties. She wondered if Adam noticed them. She looked away from the mirror and pulled on her pink, fluffy robe. She secured the belt around her waist and walked out of the bathroom. Adam was sitting up in bed in just his boxer shorts, leaning against the headboard. He had a case file in his hand.

"Working?" Kim asked.

"Just reviewing this one more time before tomorrow," Adam answered.

"What happens tomorrow?"

"Olinsky and I are doing some surveillance on this guy. We're trying to determine if he's at all connected with a drug ring we've been investigating recently."

"What do you think?"

Adam shrugged. "I think I'm going to be spending a lot of time in a car with Olinsky tomorrow."  
Kim smiled. She climbed into bed beside him. Grabbing a bottle of lotion next to the bed, Kim squirted some into the palm of her hand and began rubbing the lotion into her legs. Adam closed the case file and put it down on the table next to his side of the bed.

"Are we going to talk about what the doctor said earlier?" Adam asked.

Kim glanced over at him and noticed a corner of the brochure the doctor had given them underneath the file folder Adam had just put down. She put the lotion down and tucked her legs under their sheet and comforter.

"Which part? That we can't get pregnant so we should try harvesting one of my eggs and mixing it with your sperm and then implant it into my body and hope it works?"

"First of all, he didn't say we couldn't get pregnant."  
"Maybe not, but he certainly didn't give us a reason for why we haven't gotten pregnant."

"It's like he said, it's not a bad thing that there's nothing wrong with us. And he simply suggested invetro. It's not something we even have to consider if you don't want to."

"This isn't up to me, Adam. This is up to us."

"I know. But I have the easy part. So I'm going to go with your lead on this one."

"I don't want to do invetro, Adam," Kim stated.

"Ok."

"One of my cousins tried it for over five years. It never worked. By the end, she and her husband were ruined financially and they just couldn't take it. They ended up divorced."  
"That's not going to happen to us, but if you say no, then it's no. I completely support that decision."

"Thank you," she replied, her voice low and quiet.

A tear rolled down Kim's cheek. She tried to brush it away, but Adam saw it.

"What is it?"

"It has to be me," she said quietly.  
"What do you mean?"

"I must be the reason we can't get pregnant."

"The doctor said there was nothing wrong with you," Adam reminded her.

"But I'm the woman, Adam. It's my job to…"

"No, don't you do that to yourself."

"Maybe we shouldn't have waited so long. I mean, I kept insisting that I wasn't ready and I wanted to have my career and…"

"I wasn't ready either," Adam interrupted.

"Yeah, but maybe if I were younger…"

"The doctor said that your age wasn't a factor."

"Doctors don't know everything," she retorted.  
"Look, I don't know why we haven't been able to pregnant, but I do know that whatever happens, we're in this together."

"And what if we never have a child?"  
"Then we'll just have to grow old together," he told her. "I have you. That's enough for me."

"How'd I get to be so lucky?"

Adam put his arm around her shoulder. She snuggled in against him, leaning her head on his bare chest. She sighed contently.

"I never asked you how your day was," Adam said.

"It was a difficult day. Roman and I were called to his abandoned house. We found a kid, couldn't have been more than six or seven, living there."  
"Alone?"

"Kid told the paramedics that his mom said she would come back for him. Sounds like he had been there for at least a few days by himself."

"Was he ok?"

"As ok as can be expected. He was pretty malnourished. Looks like he lived off of potato chips for four days, but the paramedics said he'd be ok. Last I heard they were still trying to find a relative to take him in."  
"Poor kid."

"Yeah."

Kim sat up, a strange look in her eyes.

"What is it?" Adam wondered.

"That's it."

"What's it?" Adam asked, still confused.

"There are so many kids like that little boy who need a home. Why can't we be that home?"

"Adoption?"

"Why not? We not take a child that needs a family and give him or her one? I mean, who cares if we gave life to that child? It's still a child." Adam didn't respond. Kim tried to read his face, but she wasn't getting anything. "You think it's crazy, don't you?"  
He shook his head. "No. I'm just trying to figure out why we hadn't thought about this before."

"So you think it's a good idea?"  
"I think we still need to do a lot of research first, but yeah, I think it's a good idea."

Kim smiled. "And what if we didn't adopt a baby? I mean, there's so many kids like the little boy I found today. What if we gave one of those kids a chance at a good life? What do you think?"  
"I think I knew there was a reason I married you."  
Kim smiled. She crashed her lips down on his. He rolled on top of her. For the first time in a long time, the last thing they were focused on as they made love was making a baby. Instead they focused on each other and the love they shared.

Four Years Later

"That day changed our lives," Adam said.

"I can't imagine life without him."

"Me either."

"I can't believe he's going to be going into first grade."  
"It's been a good three and a half years," Adam commented.

"Yes it has."

They both watched as Seth continued to swing. The smile on his face was priceless. As soon as Adam and Kim had made the decision to adopt a child that wasn't an infant, everyone in their lives seemed to have some kind of opinion. But they didn't let that sway their ultimate decision. When they found out about Seth, a two and half year old boy whose parents had been killed in a car accident and who had no other family, they fell in love with him immediately. And although it took a little time for him to adjust to his new life, they quickly became a family. Adam and Kim didn't keep it a secret from him that they weren't his birth parents. He even had a picture of his mother and father in his bedroom, but they wouldn't have had it any other way. They were just happy to have their own little boy.

"I think you should sit," Adam said.

"I told you, I'm fine."  
Ignoring her, Adam grabbed two nearby patio chairs anyway. Kim sat in one and he sat in the other. He put her hand on her bulging stomach.

"I can't believe she'll be here soon."

"I believe it," Kim said. "I am more than ready to not have swollen ankles."

"I love your swollen ankles."  
Kim smiled. "A woman on the mommy group today said it looked like I was ready to deliver at any minute. She's on baby number four so I kind of believe her."

Adam laughed. "Well, I can't wait to meet our daughter."  
Both Adam and Kim were shocked when eight months before, Kim found out she was pregnant. After adopting Seth, they pretty much gave up on the idea of having a baby of their own. Clearly fate had other plans.

Seth hopped off the swings again and ran up to Adam and Kim.

"When will the baby be here?" He asked.

"Soon, honey," Kim answered.

"I want to meet my little sister," he continued.

"Trust me, so do we," Adam replied.

"As long as she doesn't play with my toys," Seth added.

Adam laughed and ruffled his hair. "What do you say we go cook some dinner for mom?"

"Do we have to?" Seth whined.

"I can do it," Kim insisted.

"Nope. The Ruzek men are going to take care of you tonight. Life lesson, son, always take care of the person you love."

Adam winked at Kim.

"Ok, dad."

"Ok. Come on."

Adam stood up and took Seth's hand. He leaned in and gave Kim a quick kiss.

"Eww!" Seth squealed.

"I'll give you eww!" Adam scooped Seth up and slung him over his shoulder. The boy laughed as Adam carried him into the house.

With her hand on her stomach, Kim listened through the screen door to what Adam and Seth were doing. She could hear Adam giving Seth directions on how to put water in the pot to boil the pasta. The little girl inside of her kicked her.

"Don't worry," Kim whispered. "Pretty soon you'll be out of this tight little space and into this great big world. And I hope you know how much you're loved by me and your dad and your big brother. We can't wait to meet you."

Kim closed her eyes, sighing contently. She had never felt more blissful.

Author's Note: First of all, thank you to Fairgirl for the idea for this chapter. Second of all, I know I said in the last chapter that there would be 2 more chapters, but I'm sorry to say that this is it…the end. I've spent the last few weeks trying to work on an idea for another chapter, but it just never came to fruition. I've learned that I can't write something just because I want to. I have to feel it and I'm sorry to say that I just wasn't feeling it. This story has run its course and I'm ready to move on to something else.

With that being said, I have a few ideas for more Burzek stories. It will probably be a little while before I start posting them, but just know that there is more coming!

Thank you to everyone who stuck with me through this story. I had a blast writing it and I am so grateful to everyone who read and reviewed!


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